African elephants in zoos face documented welfare challenges including insufficient space, restricted social groups, inadequate substrate, and the psychological effects of captivity on highly intelligent social animals.
African elephant welfare in captivity is fundamentally compromised by the mismatch between their needs and what captive environments can provide. Elephants evolved for vast ranging, complex social relationships, and continuous foraging behaviour that occupies most of their waking hours. Captive exhibits cannot meet ranging needs, social groups are artificially small, and substrate is typically unsuitable causing foot disease. Chronic foot problems are the leading cause of premature death in captive elephants. Psychological distress from social restriction and environmental monotony manifests in stereotypic behaviours. Expert consensus increasingly holds that elephants cannot have adequate welfare in most captive settings.