Foot disease is the leading welfare problem in captive elephants. Understanding the causes and prevention enables better welfare outcomes in zoological settings.
Foot disease causes chronic, severe pain in affected elephants. An elephant with untreated foot abscesses or severe nail overgrowth suffers every step it takes. The welfare of captive elephants is fundamentally tied to substrate quality and foot care access. Facilities that keep elephants on hard concrete without regular professional foot care are condemning their animals to chronic pain. The gold standard for captive elephant foot health requires daily inspection, regular professional trimming, and appropriate substrates throughout the enclosure.