Dismay as Danish zoo euthanises its elephants
Born Free is shocked and saddened at the recent news that Aalborg Zoo in Denmark has euthanised its two remaining female African elephants, Mai and Tanja, both in their 40s.
An elephant at Aalborg Zoo in Denmark, taken in 2016 (c) J McArthur, Born Free
The two elephants were originally taken from the wild in South Africa when they were just three years old and arrived at the zoo together in 1985.
The zoo released the information on its Facebook page on 29th October. According to the post, Tanja, described as the zoo’s ‘matriarch’, had been suffering with health problems for a long time, and was no longer responding to treatment. Mai was euthanised because she would have otherwise been alone at the zoo; the decision to put her down was apparently taken following consultation with the European Association for Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). In its Facebook post, Aalborg Zoo stated that it had always been aware that the death of one of the elephants would mean that they ‘would have to say goodbye to the other’. Mai was also reportedly suffering with arthritis.
A third female African elephant, Bibi, who was also taken from the wild in South Africa and arrived at Aalborg Zoo at the same time as Tanja and Mai, was previously euthanised in November 2023. A male elephant named Tempo was also captured and taken to the zoo along with the three female elephants. He was euthanised in 2008 at around 26 years old.
The zoo announced in its Facebook post that this would mark the end of the keeping of elephants at the zoo.
This news once again highlights why elephants don’t belong in zoos. The restrictive captive environment cannot possibly provide for their complex physical, behavioural, psychological and social needs. The climate in Denmark is also unsuitable for African elephants.
An elephant at Aalborg Zoo in Denmark, taken in 2016 (c) J McArthur, Born Free
It’s highly likely that the health problems that led to the decision to euthanise Tanja were related to her lifetime of confinement. Captivity-related health problems are commonplace in zoo elephants. When Born Free visited the zoo in 2015 and 2016, the three elephants who were then present were seen repeatedly swaying and ‘head-bobbing’, a sure sign of ‘stereotypic behaviour’ which is only seen in captive elephants and is widely acknowledged to result from the psychological stress of long-term captivity.
Reacting to the news, Born Free’s Captivity Research and Policy Manager Chris Lewis said: “This tragic event only strengthens our resolve to see elephants phased-out from zoos. While the decision that this will mark an end to the keeping of elephants at Aalborg Zoo is welcome, it represents a de facto admission by the zoo’s management that it cannot adequately provide for elephants. Efforts to provide more suitable accommodation for these elephants should clearly have been made long ago. The zoo’s claim that the enclosure, which was last rebuilt in 1991, has “worked well for the elephants that have been raised in it” is extremely questionable – it doesn’t seem to have “worked well” for Bibi, Tanja or Mai.”
In the case of Mai, the very fact that she would have been left alone at the zoo reflects the fact that zoo elephants lack the social networks they would enjoy in nature. Wild elephants form complex social groups and females will typically remain in their natal groups for life. In the event of a loss of a companion, for whom elephants are known to mourn, the wider family network will rally to support each other. No such network would have been available to Mai, and it’s likely that no other zoo would have been keen to take an ageing elephant with arthritis. It’s unclear whether Aalborg Zoo explored the possibility of relocating Mai to a sanctuary. A number of sanctuaries around the world have highlighted how sanctuary life seems to lower stress and improve overall health in elephants.
Chris Lewis continued: “The decision to euthanise these elephants will doubtless have been traumatic for the keepers who have dedicated their time to caring for them. However, the zoo industry needs to change its thinking away from considering animals as assets that can be disposed of when they become inconvenient. These are sentient, self-aware animals that deserve more respect. There are many good examples of older elephants with captivity-related health problems being successfully integrated into existing groups at sanctuaries where they can enjoy a far more suitable environment than zoos can offer. Mai should at least have been given this chance.”
Born Free was founded following the tragic death of another African elephant, Pole Pole, who was euthanised at London Zoo in 1983 at just 16 years old. The charity has consistently campaigned for an end to the keeping of elephant and other animals who suffer in zoos. Our report Elephants in Zoos – A Legacy of Shame, released in May 2022, describes in detail the suffering of elephants in zoos, and explains why they need to be phased out and how this can be achieved. The report was followed by the release of the award-winning animation “Enough Is Enough” in 2023, and the launch of the charity’s Elephant Free-UK campaign.
At the time of writing, there are believed to be 558 elephants kept in 149 European zoos, including 48 in 10 UK zoos.
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