Zoos

Elephant in a zoo enclosure, being washed with water and steam.

To appropriate an elephant’s life - or any sentient being’s life - to live and, ultimately, die in a zoo “exhibit” is a travesty. There is no justification for it.

It’s difficult to describe the many ways in which zoos are a devastating existence for elephants. In Defense of Animals for the past 20 years has released its 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants in North America. It is extensively researched and identifies the worst zoos, and why they appear on the list. We encourage interested readers to take a look at IDA’s 10 Worst list for 2024 to get a sense of just how awful this industry is, and to what its captive elephants are subjected. Also, IDA has on its site a section on the many ways in which sentencing zoo and circus elephants to a life in captivity is unethical, immoral and entirely unconscionable.

A person is spraying water on a large elephant using a hose at a zoo or sanctuary. The elephant is lying on the ground, spraying water with its trunk. The scene is in black and white.