There are very few zoos with enough room to roam and that provide enough enrichment to keep their elephants from being bored.  All too often the elephants end up spending most of their time in the barn due to poor weather or standing on hard packed dirt or cement that lead to deadly foot problems.  In addition, elephants like Jenny do not have enough companions-elephants are social and in the wild & females stay in family units their whole lives.  

All captivity is artifical, but forcing elephants to breed when they are too old or too young or don’t know how to properly raise their young or won’t be allowed to keep their young…or worse…will be exposed to illnesses that are transmitted between the elephant species or from humans to elephants is abhorrent.

However, there are two sanctuaries that do their best to allow elephants to act like elephants and give them room to roam and other elephants as companions.  Their facilities exceed all AZA standards. They both also have web cams to watch the elephants.

If you are concerned about conservation, send money to worth orgs who help elephants in the wild.  Zoos are in the Business of entertainment, not conservation.  

Everyone should learn the facts about this issue, and the facts are not readily available through common sources like the media or television.    The fact is that elephants are dying on average at half their natural lifespan in captivity, and the number one cause of death is foot and joint disease from standing around in small spaces. Another fact is that zoos do little to nothing to help save elephants in their native ranges - the only way to save a species.  Elephants are facing dire circumstances in Asia and Africa, and zoos are spending millions to house a handful for display.   There is not a shred of evidence that seeing an elephant up close inspires anyone to actually TAKE action to save their wild counterparts, or that seeing elephants on display educates anyone about them; the available data suggests otherwise.   

 After doing just cursory research, anyone who truly cares about elephants would never support keeping them in captivity.

I know where I stand on this: non-domestic animals [i.e., not cats, dogs, household pets] belong in their natural habitat. Plain and simple.

Anyone who thinks differently should go to their local zoo and ask them to put you on display for a week.

Some people commented that they "don’t know where to stand on this". What?! Zoos are in the business of animal exploitation and abuse. That is what a zoo is! How could you not see this?

http://www.newspostonline.com/world-news/asia-and-africas-wild-elephants-live-longer-than-their-zoo-counterparts-2008121219004

Seems to me that zoos are trying to do the right thing:

 http://www.emediawire.com/releases/AZA/Elephant_Conservation/prweb2541444.htm

I really feel that animals belong in the wild.  But I would imagine that there will always be zoos!  If that’s the case then fighting for larger and more natural quarters is one thing.  But the biggest issue here that I can see is the abuse of the elephants.  They are not only abused by poking and proding but they are abused by the small confined areas that they are in.

Elephants as well as other wild animals belong in their natural environment.  Look what we put animals through for the "pleasure" of being able to go to the zoo! 

I’m with Lily and most of you-elephants (and other animals) were not put on this earth for our entertainment. There are other ways to learn and observe other than confinement in zoos.  Zoos will neither be wealthy enough entities to improve artificial habitats that will meet or exceed the needs of its animals, nor will zoos be funded adequately to provide species-specific experts to attend to veterinary and behavioral needs. It’s just not economically as feasible as protecting natural habitat and observing them-either first hand while on vacation or watching them on the web via real time cameras like the one at the Tennessee Elephant Sanctuary. http://www.tappedintoelephants.com/asp/index.php