Elephants in captivity face significant welfare challenges related to space, social needs, and psychological complexity that are difficult to meet in zoo environments.
Elephants present some of the greatest challenges in zoo animal welfare. Their cognitive complexity, social sophistication, and need for extensive movement create requirements that even large zoo facilities struggle to meet. Stereotypic behaviours affect a majority of captive elephants and are indicators of psychological distress. Foot problems arising from inadequate substrate and movement develop into chronic pain conditions. The growing consensus among welfare scientists is that elephants are best served by well-managed sanctuaries rather than traditional zoo enclosures.