Top Ten Worst Zoos For Elephants

In Defense of Animals released its 8th annual list of the Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants. Their advocacy for elephants in zoos has called attention to the suffering many of these magnificent creatures endure.

Zoos were rated in three categories: lack of space for elephants to roam, unsuitably cold climates and unnatural living conditions.

“IDA’s Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants list illustrates the many serious problems that condemn elephants to lives of misery in zoos,” said IDA Elephant Campaign Director Catherine Doyle. “These include abnormal repetitive behaviors, hyper-aggression, social isolation, and deadly conditions such as foot and joint disease caused by lack of space and movement.”

“Scientific research has shown us what elephants need: the space to walk miles every day, large families with whom to spend their lives, and rich natural environments,” said Doyle. “Caging elephants in zoo displays is not humane and it is not conservation.”

As a result of IDA’s advocacy the Association of Zoos and Aquariums have established new policies for the treatment of elephants and the closing of elephant displays at Central Florida Zoo and Southwick’s Zoo in Massachusetts.

IDA’s 2011 Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants List:

1. Edmonton Valley Zoo (Alberta, Canada)

Lucy, the Asian elephant who has been at the center of protests to set her free and a lawsuit that may end up in front of the Supreme Court in Canada lives alone in a small habitat in one of the most “inhospitable climates imaginable for an elephant.” This is the second year Edmonton Valley Zoo has appeared on the list.

2. Reid Park Zoo (Tucson, Arizona)

Connie and Shaba are two elephants at the zoo that have a 30 year bond, but Reid Park Zoo will soon separate the two because Connie, who is an Asian elephant doesn’t fit into their new African-themed attraction.

3. Button Park Zoo (Massachusetts)

This zoo called off a multi-million dollar expansion to their elephant display, but Emily and Ruth continue to “languish in their small, outdated exhibit.” They spend at least 15 hours indoors each night and show abnormal behaviors that include rocking and swaying. Last year Emily bit off six inches of Ruth’s tail.

4. Topeka Zoo (Kansas)

Topeka Zoo is facing charges by the USDA for violations to the Animal Welfare Act. The zoo director has made some improvements, but he cannot change the cold climate in Kansas that is not suitable for the elephants. Tembo and Sunda stand on cold concrete floors all winter in a concrete barn. They suffer from foot disease and neurotic behavior.

5. Niabi Zoo (Coal Valley, Illinois)

Elephants Babe and Sophie have a history of chronic foot infections and one of them tested positive for tuberculosis. The zoo is trying to raise $4 million for a new exhibit, but the elephants would still be based in a climate that has freezing winters.

6. St. Louis Zoo (Missouri)

Since appearing on the list last year, two calves born at the zoo were infected with a deadly elephant virus and an adult suffered a miscarriage. St. Louis Zoo has a history of chronic foot disease and due to cold winters the elephants are forced to spend long periods of time indoors stalls.

7. Little Rock Zoo (Arkansas)

When an elephant died last year, IDA urged the zoo to close its exhibit instead of getting a new buddy for remaining Ellen. Little Rock did not listen to professionals and purchased two elephants that were retiring from Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. The elephants were not compatible and Ellen died less than a month after the new elephants’ arrival.

8. Columbus Zoo (Ohio)

Columbus Zoo made a critical error last year when they shipped a seven-year-old male named Bodhi to the Denver Zoo instead of letting him stay with his mother. Elephants live with their mother until they are teens. The move was unnatural and stressful for Bodhi.

9. Wildlife Safari (Winston, Oregon)

This zoo made the list for turning its elephants, Alice and George into an “elephant car wash.” Visitors to the park were able to pay to have the elephants spray water onto their vehicles and wipe down the cars with sponges. The elephants were controlled with steel bullhooks throughout the performances.

10. Honolulu Zoo (Hawaii)

Honolulu recently finished a $12 million elephant exhibit that is “so small it’s already out of date.” Two female elephants have less than an acre of space to roam. The zoo also plans to acquire a bull elephant and introduce an artificial insemination breeding program even though one of the elephants is beyond the natural age for conceiving. The zoo director disputed Honolulu’s number 10 spot. Director Manuel Mollinedo said, “Elephants Mari and Vaigai are happy in their new home and that their muscle tone has improved.”

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Aimee A.

2:48PM PDT on Apr 28, 2012

I just KNEW that my local zoo would be on this list, if the researchers were on top of their game. Very sad, indeed. Thanks for posting! :(

send a green star

Haleene W.

3:37PM PST on Mar 6, 2012

I think we all know, "all zoos" aren't the same, but their should be a healthy standard that all zoos must meet to be legal. Humans have to start caring more for animals and children.
They are dependent on our actions, and so far, I am not very proud of what allot of humans are and are not doing for them. We know what they need, so lets stop turning a blind eye to the awful things that are going on around us. If you don't care and do something then who will? There's strength in numbers. At least report these travesties to local new media, TV, radio, and papers. Stop acting like everything is alright just because you refuse to look at it.

Kye J.

2:51AM PST on Feb 14, 2012

Zoos are nothing other than cruel and barbaric jails for poor animals whereby they suffer a horrendous slow lonely death

ELENA N.

2:46AM PST on Feb 14, 2012

Zoo's is a catch 22 situation.....Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals in captivity, bored, cramped, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Animals suffer from more than neglect in some zoos. the San Diego Zoo to the San Diego Wild Animal Park, she was chained, pulled to the ground, and beaten with ax handles for two days. One witness described the blows as "home run swings." Such abuse may be the norm. "You have to motivate them," says San Francisco zookeeper Paul Hunter of elephants, "and the way you do that is by beating the hell out of them."
LETS GET CRACKING AND SAVE TEHM,BEFORE ITS TOO LATE!!!!!!!

Janice M.

9:15AM PST on Feb 13, 2012

How in the hell does Jack Hanna get away with such a bald-faced lie in his commercial for a joint supplement? He claims, "...the Columbus Zoo is voted number one in America." The commercial should be pulled for false advertising. The Columbus Zoo was charged and fined by the USDA for many violations of the Animal Welfare Act under Hanna's directorship of the zoo. This guy is a shameless liar and exploiter of animals both on TV and off. Thank you for including the Columus Zoo in this list.

Eternal G.

2:52PM PST on Feb 8, 2012

Noted.

Debbie C.

2:22AM PST on Feb 5, 2012

We have a zoo where we live, but no elephant. We had one named Bunny, but when she got in her 50's they let her go to a sanutuary where she lived out the rest of her life.

She was finally free to roam around and be with other elephants. I bet that was the only time she was ever truely happy - except when she was with her mother.

Mark J.

6:58AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

Continued...
This article is severely damaging when it is so one-sided.
I worked for a zoo once, one of only two places outside of Africa to ever put black rhino back to the wild. They did two, another zoo in Europe did another one. Each rhino takes five yrs to put back at a cost of around 250 000 pounds. Their annual running costs, including their overseas projects sat at over 8 000 000 pounds. I never even liked this zoo, and still think of them as good as a result of their bloody good work.
We really need to learn to think outside of the box if we want to save wildlife, and stop this one-sided nonsense.

6:57AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

Continued...
So, for example, if your zoo has white tigers, that is a very bad thing. (how many of you know why?)
Animals are fed on proper diets. Keepers are generally well educated with most of them attaining degrees in zoology, animal behaviour studies, or animal management. (how many of you have these studies behind you?) Keepers regularly hold and go to enrichment courses and workshops in order to ensure that their animals can have the best possible life in captivity. (how many of you know this?)
There is nothing wrong with letting the world know about the bad zoos. Trust me, anybody within the wildlife industry wants them stopped, of course. But these single-minded, one-sided stories are nothing short of demeaning to the good keepers out there, and the good zoos for which they work.
This is the problem with extremism, its all or nothing, and the world of wildlife can never be run that way, don’t be stupid, think logically and out the box. This article is severely damaging when it is so one-sided.

6:56AM PST on Feb 1, 2012

Yet again, we mostly get it all wrong. When one woman leaves her child to starve to death, does this mean that all mothers are bad? When one man murders & rapes, does that make all men bad? one would hope not. Yet again a story goes out about how bad zoos are, oooh! If you knew anything about zoos, you would know that these bad ones are few & far between, and yet we don't get a report about the top ten good zoos, we don't get a report about all the good projects that zoos are a part of, the people educated from their projects. Most zoos NEVER make much money, but eke out a living on gate fees, using all their profits to ensure better enclosures and good enrichment, good dietary needs are seen to. But most of you would not know this as you are not part of the industry. How can you shout out about & against an industry that is not yours?
Maybe we should start shouting out against doctors. I know nothing about the industry but lets face it, someone always dies in their care, they must be bad. Perhaps we should call for all doctors to be disbanded, we don’t need them anyway. Say what you like, but this is your argument in this report, and in the comments after the fact. Most of it comes from people who have never worked in a zoo, or worked with animals in general for that matter.
Zoos don’t just house injured and rehab animals, that would be silly. They house healthy animals, ones with good bloodlines in order to ensure good breeding. So, for example, if y