Scientific understanding of elephant welfare has expanded dramatically, revealing the depth of their emotional, cognitive, and social needs — with important implications for both wild and captive populations.
Elephant welfare science has transformed how we understand and evaluate the needs of these highly intelligent animals. The evidence base now supports providing elephants with large, complex, socially rich environments — whether in the wild or in captivity. Management practices that confine, isolate, or routinely restrain elephants are increasingly recognized as welfare-compromising. Translating this science into improved policy and practice is the central welfare challenge.