Born Free has welcomed a vote at a major international meeting on wildlife trade taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, to end the trade in live, wild-caught elephants for captive use.

Born Free’s Head of Policy, Dr Mark Jones, said: “Over the last 20 years, close to 200 predominantly young elephants have been forcibly removed from their families and herds in southern Africa, and shipped around the world to live miserable and often short and lonely lives in zoos and other captive facilities, predominantly in China. We have long campaigned against this heinous trade. If this vote is ratified, it will limit the export of live, wild-caught elephants to conservation projects within the species natural range. We applaud the government representatives who voted to end the trade, and urge all countries to ratify the decision at the end of the meeting.”

The export of live, wild-caught elephants for exploitation in zoos and other captive facilities does nothing for conservation or elephant management. Instead it causes immense suffering among both the individual captured elephants, and the herds from which they have been taken. Bringing an end to this trade would be a hugely progressive step, and we will do all we can to ensure the vote is upheld. Most importantly we need the UK delegation, and those of other European Union Member States, to support an end to the suffering of elephants.”