12/08/2026
This we look back at our 2022 report by Dr Rob Atkinson and Dr Keith Lindsay, examining the needs of elephants in captivity. Supported by 90+ references and endorsed by 25 leading specialists, the report explains why expansive, diverse habitats are critical to keeping captive elephants physically and psychologically healthy.
The authors conclude that elephants cannot lead completely meaningful lives in captivity, given the enforced restrictions on their dynamic and complex behaviour, which requires both ample natural space and an
abundance of other elephants.
Quality space means that elephants can forage in natural, diverse vegetation, walk for miles each day, and exert a high degree of control over their social interactions. They suffer in zoos psychologically and physically because of the limits of what can be provided within such restricted environments. Most captive elephants spend their lives in enclosures no larger than a hectare – they can walk across them in little over a minute. Report link: https://www.conservativeanimalwelfarefoundation.org/resources/expansive-diverse-habitats-are-vital-for-the-welfare-of-elephants-in-captivity/
