Shattered Lives

By attending the events, we tacitly support the extreme violence and brutality the elephants suffer for a lifetime - all for a few moments of supposed entertainment. We discuss below the typical life cycle of a captive elephant born in the wild. (Circumstances for elephants birthed in captivity differ in ways, but the practice of breeding elephants in zoos and other facilities raises a host of other moral and ethical issues.) And they live out their lives in the same awful conditions as a performer or spectacle as those elephants that gave birth to them, having never experienced any form of freedom or self-determination.

Again, note that circuses are generally highly secretive about their treatment of animals. It is not possible to know whether a particular circus is engaging, or has engaged, in any of the specific acts outlined below, but there is abundant demonstrative evidence of the conduct addressed here.

Capture

Elephants are among the most socially complex and emotionally intelligent animals, forming strong familial bonds and living in matriarchal groups that often include extended family and, at times, unrelated individuals or those separated from their original families. [1 2 10] Calves are especially valued in the illegal wildlife trade because they can be exploited for their entire lives, are relatively easy to transport, and are, unfortunately, impossibly cute, which increases commercial demand. [3 8]

When baby elephants are captured from the wild, the separation from their mothers is abrupt and traumatic, often involving violent methods such as chasing herds with vehicles or helicopters, tranquilizing the calf, restraining the mother, and forcibly dragging the baby away. [3 4 8] This process inflicts severe psychological and physical trauma on both the calf and the mother, given the deep emotional bonds that exist within elephant families. [2 3 4]

Elephants display behaviors indicative of mourning when a calf or other herd member dies. Elephants have been documented approaching, touching, and investigating carcasses, sometimes revisiting them repeatedly and exhibiting behaviors such as temporal gland streaming and heightened social interactions, which may indicate emotional responses. [1 4] Both African and Asian elephants have been observed carrying dead calves, sometimes for days or weeks, and engaging in behaviors like standing vigil, attempting to lift or revive the deceased, and vocalizing loudly around the body. [2 3 5] In some cases, Asian elephant herds have even buried dead calves, covering them with soil and then avoiding the burial site afterward. [5] These behaviors suggest a complex response to death that may include elements of mourning or grief. [1 2 3 4 5]

After being captured, the young elephants are often held in enclosures called bomas - sometimes for months - to prepare them for transport. [4 6] For ground transport, the elephants are sedated and loaded into specially designed containers, which are then secured onto flatbed trucks. [1 2 5] For air travel, the containers are usually transported to an airport, where they are loaded onto cargo planes or military aircraft modified to accommodate the animal crates. [3 4] There are no temporal limits on transports; flights can last many hours, with some journeys taking up to 48 hours. [4 5]

Transport

After being captured, the young elephants are often held in enclosures called bomas - sometimes for months - to prepare them for transport. [4 6] For ground transport, the elephants are sedated and loaded into specially designed containers, which are then secured onto flatbed trucks. [1 2 5] For air travel, the containers are usually transported to an airport, where they are loaded onto cargo planes or military aircraft modified to accommodate the animal crates. [3 4] There are no temporal limits on transports; flights can last many hours, with some journeys taking up to 48 hours. [4 5]

The Crush

Captive elephants are often subjected to extremely cruel and abusive training methods. The constant threat or use of punishment is a key part of circus training, and such treatment has been linked to lasting scars-both physical and mental-for these intelligent, social animals. [9 12 14] The process of training Asian baby elephants can involve physical restraint, forcing them to perform unnatural tricks through the use of bullhooks, whips, and electric prods, and depriving them of food, water, and rest to increase compliance, practices that can cause significant physical and psychological distress (how could it not?). [1 2 3 6]

The Crush, or Phajaan, is a severe and cruel “training” process used before elephants are transported for tourism or entertainment. [2 4 5] This method involves torturing elephants-often for days-to make them submissive enough to interact with tourists or perform degrading tricks in circuses and other attractions. [2 4 5]

As part of this process, baby elephants may be forcibly separated from their mothers [1 2 4], confined in narrow wooden enclosures, [2 4 5] and repeatedly beaten with bullhooks or other sharp metal tools. [2 3 5] Their legs may be tied to bars, restricting movement for up to 23 hours a day over several months. [2 3 6 7 9] The explicit goal is to completely break the elephant’s will and spirit, regardless of the trauma inflicted, especially on babies. [1 2]

Eyewitness footage from Thailand between 2018 and 2020 documented eight baby elephants subjected to the Crush, showing them bound with ropes, crying, and being beaten repeatedly. [1 4 5] The undercover videos reveal calves forcibly separated from their mothers, confined in narrow enclosures, and restrained with ropes and chains while being struck with sharp metal hooks to break their spirits for use in the tourism industry. [1 4 5 These awful scenes are not isolated incidents but are part of a widespread practice in the elephant tourism industry. [2 7 9].

Bullhook

Many elephant workers in zoos, circuses and temples, or mahouts (local elephant handlers), use a bullhook to manage and discipline elephants.  A bullhook, a wooden stick with a steel or bronze sharp hook. The use of bullhooks inflicts maximum pain and fear, ensuring compliance through learned fear of punishment. [1 6 8 10]

The bullhook is traditionally used on sensitive areas of the body. It may be used behind the ears where the skin is paper thin, around the eyes where the skin is also very thin, and on the feet, trunk, and around the mouth which are highly enervated. These areas are all extremely sensitive to the touch of the sharp metal hook. [1 2 4]  This rendering highlights the most sensitive areas of the elephant’s body, ensuring that the bullhook will inflict maximum pain and terror: 

Chaining

Chaining elephants for prolonged periods is a common practice in some facilities and has been documented to cause significant physical and psychological suffering. At the Center for Elephant Conservation, as one example, elephants have been routinely chained by two legs on concrete floors for up to 23 hours a day, severely restricting their movement and social interaction. [2 3 5]

This intensive confinement leads to injuries, foot problems, increased risk of arthritis, and the development of abnormal repetitive behaviors-clear indicators of poor welfare and psychological distress. [6] Studies also show that chaining or tethering elephants for long periods is still routine in parts of the tourism industry, with some camps in Asia chaining elephants for a minimum of 16–18 hours overnight, further contributing to their suffering. [1]

Living Conditions

Captive elephants often live in harsh and inadequate conditions, leading to significant physical and emotional distress. [1 6 8 12] Many develop abnormal behaviors due to boredom and stress, a phenomenon known as zoochosis. This includes repetitive movements like bobbing up and down, pacing, and swaying-behaviors that are rarely, if ever, seen in wild elephants but are common among those deprived of their natural social structures and environments. [3 4 9 11 14]

Circus elephants can be forced to spend much of their lives in chains or small cages, severely restricting their ability to move or engage in natural behaviors. [4 6 7] In many circuses, elephants may be chained by their legs for up to 23 hours a day, limiting their movement to just a step forward or backward. [2 3 6] This extreme confinement prevents them from walking, socializing, or expressing natural behaviors, leading to severe psychological and physical suffering, including abnormal repetitive behaviors and chronic health issues. [2 3 4 6 7]

Social isolation and lack of environmental enrichment are common, and these conditions are known to cause psychological harm, including stereotypic behaviors (such as repetitive swaying), depression, and even symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder. [3 6 13 14]

Elephants in circuses are frequently kept on hard surfaces like concrete, which can lead to a range of foot problems and joint pain, including cracked pads, arthritis, and infections. These conditions are exacerbated by limited movement and prolonged standing on unnatural surfaces, with studies showing that even a few hours a day on hard flooring increases the risk of lameness and joint stiffness. [2 4 11]

Unlike their natural habitats, circus elephants often have limited access to water for bathing or mud for wallowing-activities that are essential for cooling, skin care, and general well-being. [4] In the wild, elephants regularly bathe in mud and water to cool down, protect their sensitive skin from sunburn and parasites, and maintain proper skin health, as they lack sweat glands and rely on these behaviors for thermoregulation and comfort. [1 3 5] The absence of such opportunities in captivity can significantly impact their physical and psychological health. [4]

Life Span

Depending on the quality of care and living conditions, elephants in captivity have a significantly shorter life expectancy compared to those in the wild. Multiple studies show that wild elephants can live up to twice as long-or even three times as long-as those kept in zoos. For example, the median life span for African elephants in the wild (such as Kenya's Amboseli National Park) is around 56 years, while those in captivity often have a median life span of just 16.9 to 17 years. [1 3 5] For Asian elephants, wild individuals can live into their 40s, while those in zoos have a median life span of about 19 years. [3 5]

This dramatic difference is attributed to a range of captivity-related health issues, including infectious diseases, musculoskeletal problems, obesity, and stress-related behavioral abnormalities, which are rarely seen in wild populations. [2 5] In some cases, elephants in their 30s or 40s in captivity require "end-of-life" care, decades earlier than their wild counterparts, who can live into their 60s or even 70s. [2]