Why Elephants do not
belong in Zoos

http://savezooelephants.com/ It is well documented that keeping elephants in urban zoos causes physical and psychological health problems for elephants. According to a study elephants in U.S. zoos die on average at 34 years which is half of elephants' natural 70 year lifespan. The majority of elephants in zoos today suffer from captivity-induced health problems including debilitating foot and joint problems, arthritis, digestive disorders, stereotypic behaviors (neurotic behaviors resulting from severe confinement) and reproductive system shutdown (flatliners). Experts are speaking about elephants spacial, family-oriented social and environmental needs and the urban zoo's inability to provide adequately for the world's largest land mammal. Some of a myriad of problems: As the joints and feet [of zoo elephants] become progressively injured by life spent on a concrete floor, the pain the elephants feel makes them reluctant to move around as much on their sore legs and feet. This creates a vicious circle and downward spiral of pain, followed by less movement, causing further injury, causing more pain, causing even less movement, etc. It is a slow gradual process that does its damage bit-by-bit and this damage continues hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and through the long decades of a zoo elephant¹s life. http://www.savezooelephants.com http://www.helpthaielephants.com http://members.tripod.com/~animom/moreelephants.html Michael Schmidt, DVM former Chief Veterinarian Thai baby Elephants are tortured - Watch Video In Thailand, approximately 3,800 of the country’s estimated 5,000 endangered Asian elephants are in private hands. Most are used as tourist attractions in elephant camps where they are forced to perform circus tricks and give rides. PETA has uncovered the horrific torture that is routine in Thailand’s secret “training” camps. Still-nursing baby elephants are literally dragged from their mothers, kicking and screaming. They are immobilized, beaten mercilessly, and gouged with nails for days at a time. These ritualized “training” sessions leave the elephants badly injured, traumatized, or even dead Thai Elephant Conservation "Mobile Elephant Clinic Project" Killed for her ivory 100 years ago there were at least 100,000 elephants in Thailand, now sadly that number has dropped to about 5,000 (2,000 in the wild and 3,000 in captivity) and the population is still estimated to be falling at over 3% a year. Something must be done to stop this decline or there will be very few elephants left in the future. What problems are elephants facing here in Thailand? Loss of natural habitat. 50 years ago 60% of Thailand was covered by forest, that figure is now below 20% and is still falling due to illegal logging and encroachment. Wild elephants only survive in a few national parks with limited genetic interchange. Conflicts with people often result in more elephant deaths. For elephants in captivity there are very few traditional ways of earning a living, logging was banned in 1989, there is little use for elephant power in the modern world. Elephants with their mahouts (keepers) have taken to begging in the streets of major cities. Tourism may help but exploitation often results. Elephants are slow and difficult to breed, only about 4 offspring in a life time, male elephants can be aggressive and dangerous at certain times (when in musth), few offspring are born, the young may be mistreated and die. Elephants often die needlessly due to accidents, injuries, illnesses, conflicts with man when they are shot dead instead of tranquillised. People experienced in looking after elephants are getting fewer every years. Well over 100 elephants will die this year in Thailand. Few people are aware how serious the situation is. Portland Zoo Facts about Elephants to include in letters to zoos, to editors etc. Elephants are highly complex, social animals who live in extended family groups and travel over thirty miles a day. Today's zoos are unable to meet the physical and social needs of elephants. These needs include space, adequate exercise, and extended social groups.  Elephants in zoos suffer from captivity-induced physical and psychological health problems due to lack of space. Health problems include debilitating foot and joint problems, arthritis, digestive disorders, stereotypic behaviors (neurotic behaviors resulting from severe confinement). Other problems include reproductive system shutdown, and high infant mortality rate. The AZA, a zoo industry trade organization, provides a set of standards that are insufficient for the proper maintenance of elephants. These standards include a minimum outdoor enclosure size of 1,800 square feet for one elephant, the equivalent of six parking lot spaces. The standards also allow the prolonged chaining of elephants. As the largest land mammal, elephants are genetically designed to move and forage most of the day; this constant movement is necessary for their psychological and physical well-being.  Historically elephants have been managed through coercive force, such as chaining for prolonged periods and use of bullhooks and electrical hotshots; this abuse is unacceptable.  Zoos routinely move elephants, and other animals, from one zoo to another with little to no consideration for their social bonds. In the wild female elephants never leave their mothers and male elephants have complex social structures with other bulls and females. No elephant in the wild lives in constant solitary confinement.  This mutilated elephant is a result of poaching. 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