Questions and Answers about not having Elephants at the Detroit Zoo

August 2005

A fundamental requirement for keeping animals in captivity is that we provide an excellent quality of life. In order to do that we must meet a species' and an individual's physical, social and psychological needs. We feel that we can accomplish this for all the animals at the Detroit Zoo, but can't for elephants. Elephants in general in captivity live shorter lives than in the wild, do not reproduce well, show numerous physical problems and often display psychological problems.

(1) Why was the decision made to no longer have elephants in Detroit?

a.) The more we learn about animals the more our practices change. For decades, elephants at this and every other zoo were "cared for" by putting chains around their legs, restricting their movement for hours at a time, and training them, at times using physical punishment with an "ankus", a rod with a metal hook on the end. Elephants actually have sensitive skin areas and the hooks hurt them. They learn to fear the ankus. This type of management is still practiced in a number of zoos and all circuses. Eight years ago we switched to a type of management called "protected contact." Protected contact eliminates punishment and almost all danger and stress to the animals and the keepers by requiring that the keepers work with the elephants from behind a protective barrier. In addition to being safer for staff, this type of management allows the elephants to choose whether they'd like to engage in husbandry sessions instead of requiring that they comply with "commands" (and physically disciplining them when they don't). Protected contact uses positive reinforcement to encourage the elephants to interact with staff. This allows keepers to administer preventive care, something elephants obviously wouldn't need in the wild.
b.) We used to believe that preventive foot care and enriching the relatively small amount of space the elephants have with objects and "toys" might be enough. Now we understand how much more is needed to be able to adequately meet the physical and psychological needs of elephants in captivity, especially in a cold climate. We no longer think that we can provide the necessary social and physical environment for elephants.
c.) Since 2000, we had been working on a new physical master plan for the Detroit Zoo. It included a concept for an elephant habitat that is 4-5 times larger than the existing 1 acre enclosure. The master plan process allows us to look at the entire zoo site and make decisions on the allocation of physical space to animals, exhibits and facilities. The development of exhibits identified in the master plan is an intensive process that includes a great deal of information gathering before actual design of a building or habitat begins.
d.) In January 2001 we began a series of meetings and workshops with DZI elephant staff, architects and experts in elephant care and management to begin the information-gathering process for the expanded elephant habitat conceptually identified in the master plan. These meetings and workshops convened participants including:

DZI elephant care staff, curators, veterinarians and Director
Jones and Jones Architects and Landscape Architects
Alan Roocroft, former elephant manager at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park, now a consultant on elephant management around the world
Gail Laule, an expert and consultant on animal training, and one of the developers of protected contact management of elephants
Ed Stewart, manager of PAWS (Performing Animal Welfare Society) a sanctuary in San Andreas, CA, and the principal designer of its elephant habitat

e.) A 2-day workshop with DZI staff and Jones and Jones architects in November 2002 focused on potential physical elements of a major expansion. A subsequent workshop, in December 2003, was conducted in conjunction with a consultation by elephant care expert Alan Roocroft. Our conclusions following the various workshops and consultations were that Asian elephants need not only much more space, but also a milder climate that would allow normal activity year round. Elephants require an appropriate (semi-tropical) climate that is more consistent throughout the year than a northern US temperate climate. Michigan winters are too cold for the elephants to be outside. They spent the majority of their time inside the building, which both prevented them from traveling as much as they should and required that they spend long periods of time standing on concrete. They need to walk a great deal (miles every day) and be on soft, natural substrate like dirt to maintain the health of their feet and joints. In addition, captive elephants need to have complex social environments that include many other elephants of different ages.
f.) The North American elephant population is not currently self-sustaining, so it will, in the future, be necessary to bring wild elephants into captivity to fill zoo exhibits. There are situations in which the rescue of wild animals is necessary, both to save individuals and to save entire species. Rescue requires the ability to properly care for the animals in captivity, which is possible for many, especially smaller, species. It is unclear if the capture of wild elephants for exhibition in zoos is in fact a "rescue" if the elephants' needs cannot be met by the captive facility.

(2) Did something specific happen?

No. This decision was the result of years of deliberation as well as information about many other zoo elephants and their physical and psychological problems. Our knowledge of the needs of elephants is constantly growing, especially knowledge about the effects of a captive environment on their health and well-being. Elephants can live for 60 or more years, but many captive elephants have been euthanized at much younger ages because of foot problems which are found only in captive elephants, not in wild ones.

(3) What does the public think?

We understand that for many people a zoo visit includes seeing lions, tigers, bears, and elephants, among other animals. At the same time, we believe that our guests' expectations are that they will only find animals in the zoo that the zoo can properly care for. Polar bears shouldn't be in the tropics, elephants shouldn't be in small Arctic environments.

(4) Were the elephants' health poor?

Wanda has arthritis in her front legs and she received treatment for it for a number of years at the Detroit Zoo, including Ibuprofen and cosequin (joint supplement) in her food daily, and also anti-inflammatory and pain medication, ketoprofen and an oral joint supplement, Glycoflex. She continues to receive anti-inflammatory and pain medications at PAWS Ark 2000 sanctuary. Winky has a couple of foot problems that are probably related to her not lying down, even to sleep, while at the Detroit Zoo. She lies down to sleep every night at the sanctuary, so we expect that her foot problems will eventually resolve. Preventive foot care takes place regularly at the sanctuary, but in time will probably be needed much less frequently now that the elephants are on natural substrates. Preventive care involves trimming their footpads, filing their nails, and cleaning and disinfecting the bottoms of their feet. These types of problems are common in captive elephants - not in the wild.

(5) Why not get younger elephants that won't have these problems?

There are far fewer young elephants than older ones in captivity at this time. We feel that the conditions of captivity, especially in cold climates like Michigan's, will lead to the development of these same problems, so it is likely that elephants who don't currently have arthritis or other problems would develop them here.

(6) Can't the elephants be taken to warm climates in the winter and returned to the zoo for the summer seasons?

Traveling is a risky and stressful activity for elephants. We believe that the practice of moving elephants on a regular basis, like circuses do, significantly compromises the elephants' welfare.

(7) Has research been done about elephants and their welfare in captivity?

There is a publication on the welfare of captive elephants in Europe, by two researchers from Oxford University, which was commissioned by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. It is available at the RSPCA website, www.rspca.org.uk. Nevertheless, our decision is based primarily on our own expertise and experience.

(8) Was this proactive or reactive -- and why now?

This decision was proactive and cumulative in the sense that we continually learn more about animals and their needs. The discussions at our workshops in 2002 and 2003 and the severity of winters affected our perspective on how elephants fare in cold captive environments. Previously we hoped that the foot care, along with incremental exhibit expansion and enhancement, might be enough. Now we understand how much more is needed to be able to properly care for Asian elephants in captivity.

(9) Are other Zoos in similar climates considering such actions?

We don't know.

(10) Are you considering this for other animals at the zoo?

As far as we can determine, elephants are the only animals at the zoo for which there is a great disparity between what they need and what we can provide. For other animals at the Detroit Zoo, we provide complex, engaging, appropriate and sizable environments. We don't believe that we can provide the space, environmental and social conditions that elephants need. Other large exotic animals at the Detroit Zoo (for instance giraffe and rhino) that are found in similar wild habitats don't show the damage that elephants did.

(11) What are others in the zoo community saying about this action by the Detroit Zoo?

We hope our decision to place our elephants in an accredited sanctuary in a warmer climate with many acres, many other elephants, and no physical discipline is supported by caring professionals in the zoo community. We know some did not view it as a good business decision or something needed for the animals' well-being.

(12) What do you think other zoos' current thinking is on captive elephants?

It seems that most zoos think that they can provide suitable care for elephants.

(13) How much investment would be needed to provide the elephants with an environment that meets their physical, social and psychological needs?

Perhaps at a minimum, 10-20 acres in a warm climate with a number of other elephants. Zoo environments generally cost $2-4 million per acre.

(14) Where did the elephants go?

Both elephants now live at the PAWS Ark 2000 Sanctuary in California. They have over 30 acres and currently three other elephants to live with. They have a new barn with natural substrate floors (instead of concrete), and the elephants even have access outside all night for most of the year. We considered accredited zoos in warmer climates and two elephant sanctuaries. Our criteria included a warm climate for much if not all the year, sufficient space (many acres), the ability to provide excellent care, the use of protected contact management (no physical discipline), and a sufficient number of other elephants to provide appropriate social opportunities. We felt that it was important to place Winky and Wanda together in a new home because they had been together at the Detroit Zoo for nearly 10 years.

(15) What do visitors see instead of elephants at the Detroit Zoo?

Two White rhinos now live where the elephants once did. We feel we can provide an appropriate habitat for rhinos, both in terms of size and environmental conditions. Rhinos do not have the same social and physical requirements in captivity as elephants, and do not require the same amount of space and environmental complexity. Rhinos have thrived here for decades.