Elephants are highly social animals whose welfare depends critically on appropriate social groupings. Solitary housing is now recognised as fundamentally incompatible with good elephant welfare.
Solitary elephant housing is a welfare crisis. Isolated elephants cannot fulfil their social needs, leading to chronic psychological suffering expressed as stereotypic pacing, swaying, and other abnormal behaviours. Even paired elephants may not form compatible bonds. Properly managed mixed-age female groups - ideally with animals that have known each other long-term - provide the social environment elephants need for good welfare.