Elephant welfare in zoos is one of the most scrutinized and debated topics in captive animal management, with documented health and behavioral problems in many facilities.
The fundamental tension in zoo elephant welfare is that the minimum requirements for elephant biological and psychological welfare - extensive daily movement, complex multi-generational social groups, diverse foraging terrain - cannot be provided in even the most advanced zoo facilities. Foot disease from inadequate substrate and movement causes chronic pain that often leads to euthanasia. Stereotypic swaying in zoo elephants is a marker of psychological deficit that persists even after habitat improvement. Some welfare scientists argue that elephants should not be kept in zoos at all due to irreconcilable welfare problems, while others emphasize the role of well-run facilities in education and conservation funding.