Elephant-Free UK

Elephants are supremely complex, social animals, whose natural biology and behaviour is based on living within closely-bonded matriarchal herds. The keeping of elephants alone in zoos is proof that the current zoo system is flawed. There are many explanations and excuses offered why captive elephants may be kept isolated and alone, including disease, behavioural problems, or a lack of suitable companions or facilities in which to house them. However, elephants in the wild, particularly females, do not live alone and every solitary elephant is a victim of a captive system that has let every one of them down.

In 2013, Born Free published the damning report Innocent Prisoner, which exposed the suffering elephants living in solitary confinement throughout Europe endure. We discovered there were over 40 elephants housed alone in zoos, circuses and private facilities across Europe. Today, two elephants are still kept alone in UK zoos.

Watch the award-winning short documentary The Elephant in the Room, produced in association with Born Free, uncovering the plight of solitary captive elephants in Europe.

HERPES

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is an infectious type of herpes virus found only in elephants. Symptoms include swelling of the head and trunk, ulceration of the mouth and internal haemorrhaging. Asian elephants between one and eight years old are particularly susceptible to death from EEHV haemorrhagic disease. It is a significant cause of mortality in zoos, responsible for around half of all juvenile Asian elephant fatalities in Europe and North America. There is no reliable cure for EEHV. While work is underway to develop a vaccine, its effectiveness remains unclear, as does its wider purpose outside of maintaining zoo elephant populations.

The virus may be present in many elephants without any symptoms being visible. The disease can be triggered by stress, for example, early weaning and transfers of other elephants between zoos.

While there is evidence that the disease may also be present in wild populations, it is not associated with the mortality of the magnitude seen in captive Asian elephants.

TUBERCULOSIS

Tuberculosis (TB) in elephants is generally caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. bovis species of pathogenic bacteria. This disease, which causes weakness and weight loss, is spread by airborne infected droplets, and appears to be an increasing problem in captivity. In recent years, TB has evolved into much more deadly drug resistant strains. TB in elephants is particularly significant as the disease can be transmitted to and from humans.

SKIN PROBLEMS

An elephant’s skin is very sensitive to the sun and in the wild, individuals will use mud or a dust bath to protect their skin. This also helps keep the skin in good condition, which is important in regulating body temperature and maintaining skin flexibility. Since captive elephants may have little or no access to dust baths or mud wallows, they are often unable to protect themselves and skin problems may arise as a result. Prolonged periods of time in indoor enclosures creates the opportunity for the development of pathological skin conditions not seen in the wild. Captive elephants living in countries with colder climates like the UK may have to spend longer periods of time indoors if it is too cold to be outside. The enclosure may be heated, which can dry out skin. Standing or lying in the same space where an animal urinates and defecates may further exacerbate skin problems.

OBESITY

Captive elephants are subject to a relatively limited and controlled diet, dependent on provisioning by keepers. Unlike their wild counterparts, food may be easily accessible and requires little energy or time to process. This, coupled with limited opportunities for physical exercise in small enclosures, contributes to the prevalence of obesity in captive populations. A 2008 report found that 92% of elephants in UK zoos were overweight.

JOINT & FOOT PROBLEMS

Joint and foot problems are common in zoo elephants, and may be the result of excessive body weight, lack of exercise and inadequate flooring. Excess weight bearing down on joints and feet can damage leg ligaments and contribute to arthritis, which can be very painful. In 2008, the majority of elephants in zoos were found to have foot problems and walking difficulties. Many elephants in UK zoos were found to have an obvious limp or lameness, an issue that has continued to be documented. In 2019, a study found that 98.5% of elephants observed in European zoos were affected by at least one foot issue. Such issues are also exacerbated by the UK climate.

Current national zoo legislation within the UK still permits “free contact” (no safety barriers between elephant and keeper) and the use of bullhooks. Free contact places keepers at risk and traditionally relies on the use of an ankus or bullhook (a sturdy stick with a curved, pointed metal tip). The bullhook is frequently referred to as a guide, yet this method of handling elephants relies on coercion and the reinforcement of painful or aversive stimuli. Free contact handling can and has resulted in keeper injury and death.

Protected contact systems, where the keeper and the elephant are separated by a barrier, is preferable to free contact. While elephants are in captivity, only positive, reward-based training should be used to enable procedures to be performed co-operatively, such as the examination of body parts and veterinary procedures.

Born Free is calling for a moratorium on the breeding of elephants in UK zoos.

UK zoos are currently unable to successfully breed enough elephants to maintain their populations, meaning that elephants continue to be imported to maintain zoo exhibits.

Many captive female elephants have low fertility rates and are unable to conceive, even after repeatedly mating. Possible causes of shortened reproductive life in zoo females are an increase in pathologies of the reproductive system, for example, ovarian cysts, excess body fat and an early onset of puberty.

No captive-born elephants have been returned to the wild from UK zoos.

(c) Mike Dooley

Elephants in zoos often display abnormal, stereotypic behaviours, such as repetitive swaying or head-bobbing linked to small and impoverished captive environments. Elephants are wide-ranging, intelligent and highly social. In the wild, they may travel many miles each day, engaging in active foraging and social interactions in their family groups. In zoos, elephants are kept in relatively small enclosures, mostly in small, inappropriate groups or even alone. The current median UK zoo enclosure size for elephants is 0.008km², just slightly larger than a football pitch. In comparison, the smallest home ranges are 14km² and 34km² for wild African and Asian elephants respectively, with some African elephants ranging over 10,000km².

In 2008, a study of elephants in British zoos found more than half displayed stereotypic behaviour during the daytime, and some displayed stereotypic behaviour for up to 60% of each 24-hour period. In 2016, a study looking at the behaviour of 89 elephants in 39 North American zoos, found that stereotypic behaviour was the second most commonly performed behaviour (after feeding).

Find Out More About Stereotypic Behaviour