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THE AZA IS
FAILING ELEPHANTS
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation materials state that all accredited zoos must keep a minimum of 3 female elephants (or 2 males).
Time and again we note that the AZA does NOT hold zoos to its set requirements. In fact, two zoos are presently holding female elephants without the immediate company of any other female elephant.
The AZA's "Elephant Taxon Advisory Group" (which develops recommendations regarding species management) states that they are "compassionate, caring experts" and that they "conserve elephants in a safe and effective manner." The accreditation standards exist based on known science about elephants. Yet the compassionate, caring experts at the AZA do nothing to support the welfare of female elephants kept without the companionship of others of their own species -- something that could be easily accomplished if zoos put elephants ahead of income.
Since CWI began this campaign, the AZA has allowed multiple elephants to die alone: Indu at Phoenix Zoo, Tembo at Cameron Park Zoo, Happy at Bronx Zoo, and another Tembo at Topeka Zoo. ENOUGH.
Let the AZA know that singly-kept elephants deserve better than a life spent as a profit center. Emily at Buttonwood Park Zoo and Patty at Bronx Zoo have a right to more than a lonely life in captivity.
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EMILY
An elephant alone in Massachusetts.
Emily is a beautiful Asian elephant who was ripped from her mother and sent to the United States in 1968. Horrifyingly, Emily was kept ALONE at Buttonwood Park Zoo in Massachusetts from 1968 to 1983 - a true act of animal cruelty. While enclosure work was taking place at Buttonwood, she was sent to Baton Rouge for 2 years before returning back to Massachusetts and its freezing cold winters.
Shortly after her return, Emily was joined by Ruth, another wild-caught Asian elephant. They lived together until Ruth's passing in December 2024.
(Note: in 2014, Buttonwood left Ruth outside during a blizzard. She suffered from hypothermia and frostbite!)
During the long Massachusetts winters, Emily is kept indoors in a tiny enclosure where she has been known to exhibit "stereotypic" behaviors including swaying, pacing and circling.
Rather than allowing Emily to live out her remaining days in an appropriate climate, Buttonwood Park Zoo refuses to rehome her to a sanctuary. The AZA must step up!
PATTY
Kept alone at the elephant- inappropriate Bronx Zoo!
Patty deserves so much better. Due to an incident that took place more than 20 years ago with the other elephant who was formerly at Bronx Zoo, Happy, Patty has been kept alone. She had company for a time, but has been living singly since 2018. (Happy died in May 2026.)
The Bronx Zoo is well aware that keeping single elephants is cruelty. Shortly after Happy's companion passed, the Zoo acknowledged that it would be "inhumane" to keep female elephants alone. Yet they took no action.
Despite a massive public outcry and lawsuits, Bronx Zoo refuses to back down. All for what? So that the public can SOMETIMES view an elephant for one or two minutes at best. The AZA must intervene and ensure that Patty does not suffer the same fate as Happy, and is able to live out her days in an environment better equipped to meet her complex needs. And where it won't snow!
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