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What the Afflictions of Circus and Zoo Elephants Have Taught Us About CaptivityShare |
Elephants — sensitive, social, and highly intelligent — are simply ill-suited for captivity. In the wild, elephants thrive in large family groups, with their physical and psychological needs met by life in the environment in which they have evolved to live. In zoos and circuses, it is clear that they suffer physically and psychologically, doomed to boredom, anxiety and an unnaturally shortened lifespan.
Let’s be clear: captivity does not benefit elephants. It only hurts them.
Common Afflictions of Captive Elephants
The most common physical ailments that afflict captive elephants are obesity, foot and joint problems, skin conditions, tuberculosis, and circulatory issues. In fact, heart attacks and circulatory problems are estimated to cause between 11.4 percent and 20 percent of deaths in non-infant captive elephants.
Elephants in zoos also have a higher mortality rate and lower breeding rate than wild elephants, which results in unsustainable captive “populations.” For example, in the past year alone, nine Asian and African elephants have died in zoos accredited by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), while only two elephants have been born.
Young elephants in particular suffer a high mortality rate, with a significant proportion passing away from a disease known as Elephant Endotheliotropic Herpesvirus (EEHV). Since 1978, EEHV has caused the death of approximately 25 percent of Asian elephants born in North America. (Although there is some evidence of EEHV in wild Asian elephants, it has not been shown to cause as many deaths to wild elephants as it does to captive elephants.)
Psychologically, captive elephants suffer from stress and deprivation and may display stereotypic behavior — repetitive behavior that appears to have no obvious goal or function, other than as a coping mechanism for the misery and monotony they endure. A recent study of elephants by the AZA found that approximately two-thirds of captive elephants exhibit stereotypic behaviors such as head bobbing, weaving, and swaying. These behaviors are acknowledged as an indicator of past or present welfare problems.
So, what happens when captive elephants have a high mortality rate, low breeding rate and small group sizes in an aging population? The result is that many end up living alone. Solitary confinement is a cruel, undeserved sentence for these complex, innocent animals.
The Miserable Life of Solitary Elephants
This unfortunate fate could not be farther from how elephants live in their natural habitats. Wild female elephants spend their lives in closely-bonded matriarchal groups. But, because captive facilities lack the resources to house herds of elephants in stable groups in spacious environments, the majority of captive female elephant groups consist of fewer than four individuals. A study published in 2009 found that one-fifth of elephants held in the world’s 194 zoos either lived alone or with only one other elephant. And, in Europe, as many as 15 percent of female elephants in circuses and 5 percent in zoos, are housed alone.
The zoo and circus industries attempt to justify the solitary confinement of elephants by pointing to potential disease risks, behavioural problems, lack of suitable companions, or inadequate facilities for multiple elephants. But, the fact remains, no elephant should fall victim to a facility’s shortcomings. There is no excuse for condemning an elephant to a lifetime of miserable solitude. No amount of money; no rationalization of “entertainment” value; no misguided goal of “conservation.” It’s mistreatment, plain and simple — and it’s indefensible.
We Can Do Better
Some North American zoos, including the Toronto Zoo and the Detroit Zoo, have decided to phase out their elephant attractions. And, internationally, the Indian government has banned the keeping of elephants in zoos. (Plans are currently underway for the existing elephants to be consolidated into larger groups.)
Some lucky “retired” elephants are relocated to specialized sanctuaries, like the Performing Animal Welfare Society’s (PAWS) Ark 2000 sanctuary in California, where they engage in natural foraging and social behaviors. But, these sanctuaries are few and far between; not a single one exists in all of Europe.
Of course, the most desirable course of action would be to phase out holding elephants in captivity altogether.
The path seems obvious — improve standards of care for existing captive elephants; transfer them to accredited sanctuaries; stop zoos and circuses from bringing new elephants into captivity; and teach the public that this is a brutal, inappropriate form of “entertainment.”
The biggest injustice is knowing what is right … but not acting accordingly.
Image source: eawortman/Flickr
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Target: USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service
Goal: Stop the abuse and neglect of captive circus elephants
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus has a long history of pervasive animal abuse — everything from keeping animals locked in cramped, squalid conditions to forcing injured or sick animals to perform, thereby risking their well being. The circus and its parent company, Field Entertainment, Inc, are again the focus of animal abuse allegations centering around some of its most iconic performers.
PETA lodged a complaint last month with the U.S. Department of Agriculture accusing the company of violating the Animal Welfare Act by keeping three elephants locked in a boxcar for four straight days. The complaint originated with a recent report by USDA inspectors who ordered the circus to alter their veterinary care practices. In the report, handlers let slip that three elephants named Nicole, Sarah and Rudy, could not be administered medications for periods of up to four days because they were being kept in the boxcars used to transport them from one destination to the next.
Although Field Entertainment, Inc. denies the allegations, PETA’s complaint demands the USDA hold the company responsible for both withholding medical care from the trio of elephants as well as violating the ‘twenty eight hour law’ prohibiting extended confinement of animals.
Tell the USDA that the circus’ treatment of its performers is not just unethical but actually criminal, and that the company should be punished for its neglectful abuse.
PETITION LETTER:
Dear USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service,
A recent complaint filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), based on a report filed by USDA inspectors alleges two counts of abuse on the part of Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus, as well as its parent company, Field Entertainment, Inc. — the circus not only failed to administer important medications to three of its elephant performers, but also regularly kept the three locked in a transport car for as many as four days at a time.
This company is no stranger to allegations of animal abuse and neglect — there are countless documented instances of Ringling Bros.’ callous abuse and disregard for the lives of their animal performers ranging from keeping animals in unsanitary conditions and denying essential care to physical abuse. It is time that the USDA held this company to account its long, extensive history of abuse.
We, the undersigned, ask that the USDA impose harsh penalties on the Ringling Bros. Circus and Field Entertainment, Inc for this incident, and hold the company to much stricter regulations and sanctions to prevent future abuse.
Sincerely,
[Your Name Here]
Photo Credit: Digital Wallpapers via Flickr
http://animalpetitions.org/43273/hold-circus-accountable-for-animal-abuse/?utm_source=Animal+Petitions&utm_campaign=7d59b212f7-APNL1531_6_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_5c8ef52732-7d59b212f7-77807085
Go to: http://sustainableaction.wix.com/sustainableaction#!stop-circus-suffering/clxq
