In Defense of Animals Ranks 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants

In Defense of Animals has released their latest rankings for the Ten Worst Zoos for Elephants. This annual roundup of North American zoos who excel in neglecting elephants is a call for change, not only for these particular pachyderms, but for the entire inhumane industry of caging elephants in urban zoos.

IDA's Elephant Campaign Director Catherine Doyle said, "It's absurd for zoos to claim to be conserving elephants when those in zoos are suffering and dying prematurely because of inadequate conditions and harmful practices. The key to elephants' survival is to protect them where they naturally live."

For those who still believe zoos are critical to conservation, Doyle provides an interesting statistic: "You can protect 50 elephants in Kenya for the cost of holding one elephant in a zoo for one year." Talk about an elephant-sized waste of resources.

Any zoo that coops up elephants to sell tickets belongs on a list of failures. Zoos across America have proven that they can't provide adequate care or space for elephants. So, what does it take to be the worst of the worst?

Let's start with an example from the Hall of Shame, which supplements the top ten list with chronic losers like the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle. Woodland Park has three elephants who are kept in indoor stalls, equivalent to less space than the prisoners of Alcatraz had, for 17 hours a day, 7 days a week, 7 months of the year. The zoo also insists on continuing to pursue their irresponsible breeding program, despite repeated failures, reportedly subjecting one of the elephants to nearly 60 invasive artificial insemination procedures.

Now to the top ten list. There are a lot of worthy contenders, including several zoos who have condemned these social animals to solitary confinement, the Wildlife Safari park in Oregon that makes its elephants wash cars, and a tie for the number nine spot between two zoos whose elephant exhibits are little more than traveling circuses.

But at the top of the list, the worst of the worst for the third straight year, is the San Antonio Zoo.

The San Antonio Zoo keeps making the list for their pitifully small and outdated enclosure. At only about half an acre, it's smaller than many backyards. It's more barren than most backyards, too, with little more than hard-packed dirt and tiny, dirty pool.

This year, San Antonio outdid themselves to stay on top of the list. There's not one, but two elephants living in the little yard. And they're starting to get on each other's nerves. Boo (formerly known as Queenie) is bullying Lucky, who has no way to escape her tormentor. It's a recipe for one of the elephants to end up seriously injured or dead, and San Antonio isn't doing anything about it.

Let's not wait to see what happens. San Antonio can avoid tragedy and break their shameful streak by shutting down the inhumane exhibit. Tell the USDA and the San Antonio Zoo to free Lucky and Boo to an elephant sanctuary.

Photo credit: devilelephant