Longitudinal improvements in zoo-housed elephant welfare: a case study at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
Open accessAbstract
Over the last two decades, criticisms were raised regarding the welfare experienced by elephants in European and North American zoos. Concerns regarding the welfare of zoo-housed elephants in the UK and Europe were consolidated in the publication of several key reports, and media interest peaked. Throughout this study we aim to outline the behavioural measures of welfare observed in the current group of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) at Zoological Society of London (ZSL) Whipsnade Zoo, using key welfare indicators for this species and comparing them to previous published work. Following the instigation of a species-specific research programme, empirical behavioural data were available to quantify any developments in care and welfare. The collection of behavioural information revealed that individuals in our study group engage in low levels of stereotypic behaviour, have formed and maintain strong associations with one another and display a high proportion of engagement in lying rest. We outline that by applying simple, low-cost methods of behavioural data collection and analysis, it is possible to collect evidence that allows us to evaluate individual level welfare. This facilitates the adoption of an evidence-based approach to zoo management as well as demonstrating compliance with updated legislation for this species.
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More affiliative behaviors and fewer aggressive behaviors are found among related elephants.
“more affiliative behaviors and fewer aggressive behaviors among related elephants”
From Continuing challenges of elephant captivity: the captive environment, health issues, and welfare implications (2024) · cites this paper as Finch et al., 2020
The Discussion (§4.4) reports strong associations among related elephants and says an unrelated female had the lowest rate of affiliative behaviour, supporting the affiliation part. It also reports that six of eight elephants had more affiliative than aggressive interactions, but does not show that related elephants were less aggressive than unrelated ones. (LLM, conf=0.86)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredFor many zoos some of these improvements are aspirational.
“However, for many zoos some of these improvements are aspirational (e.g., bull groups- Hartley, Wood & Yon, 2019;Finch et al., 2020”
From Continuing challenges of elephant captivity: the captive environment, health issues, and welfare implications (2024) · cites this paper as Finch et al., 2020
The Discussion (§4.4) says enclosure limits prevented male elephants from socialising at Whipsnade in winter and calls for investment in facilities for male socialisation. The Conclusions (§5) list increased male socialisation as a future improvement. This supports calling bull-group improvements aspirational at the study zoo, but the paper does not establish that they are aspirational for many zoos. (LLM, conf=0.83)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredCaptive elephants should be held in related, multi-generational groups for optimal welfare.
“Current research suggests that captive elephants should be held in related, multi-generational groups for optimal welfare”
From Continuing challenges of elephant captivity: the captive environment, health issues, and welfare implications (2024) · cites this paper as Finch et al., 2020
Keeping elephants in related, multi-generational groups optimizes welfare.
“supporting the recommendation for keeping elephants in related, multi-generational groups to optimize welfare”
From Continuing challenges of elephant captivity: the captive environment, health issues, and welfare implications (2024) · cites this paper as Finch et al., 2020
These improvements include increased movement, reduced stereotypies, improved feeding strategies/opportunities, consideration of male social needs, increased activity and outdoor time, and end of bullhook use.
“These areas include increased movement (Glaeser et al., 2021), reduced stereotypies (Finch et al., 2020;Glaeser et al., 2021), improved feeding strategies/ opportunities (Glaeser et al., 2021;Lasky et al., 2020) consideration of male social needs (Readyhough et al., 2022), increased activity and outdoor time (Glaeser et al., 2021), and end of bullhook use (AZA, 2022”
From Continuing challenges of elephant captivity: the captive environment, health issues, and welfare implications (2024) · cites this paper as Finch et al., 2020
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References 63 · Cited by 15
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [22]Clubb R. Mason G. A Review of the Welfare of Zoo Elephants in Europe. A Report Commissioned by The RSPCA University of Oxford RSPCA Horsham West Sussex, UK 2002
- Authors
- Finch, K., Sach, F., Fitzpatrick, M., Masters, N., & Rowden, L. J.
- Affiliations
- Zoological Society of London (GB)
- Corresponding author
- Rowden, Lewis J.
- Venue
- Animals
- Publisher
- MDPI AG
- Published
- 2020-11-04
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 11
- Pages
- 2029
- ISSN
- 2076-2615 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7694121
- OpenAlex
- W3096702881
- Cited by
- 15
- References
- 63
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 3
- FWCI
- 2.15
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Animals (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Veterinary › Small Animals › Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Ecology › Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Keywords
- Asian elephant, stereotypy, social associations, zoo management
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