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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, three 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.
Let the AZA know that singly-kept elephants deserve better than a life spent as a profit center. Emily at Buttonwood Park Zoo, Tembo at Topeka Zoo, and Happy and Patty (kept separately) at Bronx Zoo have a right to more than a lonely life in captivity.
Act Now for Emily, Tembo, Happy & Patty - Sign & Share
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!
TEMBO
On her own in Topeka. No place for an elephant.
Tembo's tale is absolutely tragic. She was born in the African savanna in 1971 and captured just two years later. In 1976, Tembo found herself at the Topeka Zoo, where she lived with an Asian elephant named Sunda.
An Asian elephant named Cora joined the pair in 2016. Sunda passed in 2018 leaving Cora and Tembo a mixed-species pair on their own. Sadly, Cora passed in July 2025 leaving Tembo on her own at only 54 years old.
It is interesting to note that the zoo considers Tembo elderly and believes that "every day is a gift". Yet elephants continue to actively travel in circuses at her same age, which causes one to wonder: what is keeping Topeka Zoo from doing the right thing and sending Tembo to an improved climate and an environment in which she could have like-species companionship for the first time in decades?? Join us in speaking out!
HAPPY & PATTY
Two females kept separately at the elephant- inappropriate Bronx Zoo!
Happy and Patty deserve so much better. For no rational reason, Happy (54 years old) and Patty (55) are kept separated at Bronx Zoo due to an incident that took place over 20 years ago. Both Happy and Patty were given other companions - both of those animals passed. Happy has been alone since 2006 and Patty since 2018.
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 singly.
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 these two gorgeous elephants are able to live out their days in an environment better equipped to meet their complex needs. And where it won't snow!
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