Foot disease is the leading cause of welfare compromise and euthanasia in captive elephants. Evidence-based substrate management and foot care protocols are critical for elephant welfare in zoos and sanctuaries.
Elephant foot health is a welfare barometer for the quality of captive elephant management. The high prevalence of foot disease in zoo elephants reflects the cumulative welfare cost of hard substrate, limited movement, and insufficient preventive care. Foot disease causes chronic pain that affects not just mobility but the entire behavioral profile of affected elephants — pain changes social behavior, reduces engagement with enrichment, and affects overall quality of life. The solutions are available: deep sand and soil substrates dramatically reduce foot loading compared to concrete; regular cooperative foot care prevents progressive disease; larger enclosures with varied terrain promote the movement that maintains foot condition naturally. Facilities that invest in substrate quality and foot care regimens consistently show better foot health outcomes — demonstrating that this is a solvable welfare problem rather than an inevitable consequence of captivity.