Elephants are kept in tourism venues across Asia and Africa. Welfare conditions vary enormously, from abusive working conditions to genuine sanctuary care.
Captive elephant welfare ranges from severely compromised to genuinely good, depending on the facility. The welfare markers for poor captive elephant welfare include: chained animals with limited movement, contact training methods involving hooks or electric prods, riding operations, performance shows, and solitary housing. These conditions cause chronic physical pain (from foot disease and chains) and psychological distress (from social isolation and inability to express natural behaviour). Genuinely welfare-focused sanctuaries provide large, naturalistic areas, social groups of compatible individuals, voluntary interaction with caregivers, and positive reinforcement management. Consumer choices — avoiding elephant riding and performance — are one of the most powerful market signals available to improve captive elephant welfare globally.