North American African Elephant Institutions

Elephant Enthusiast

Elephant Enthusiast

Well-Known Member
5+ year member
The purpose of this thread is to evaluate the standard of commitment for institutions that maintain African elephants in North America, and to collaborate with the thread North American African Elephant Population and North American African Elephant Reproduction.

In North America, there are 55 institutions that house African elephants. Of those 55 institutions, 37 facilities are accredited while 18 facilities are not accredited. Many zoos in North America are either committing to their elephant program by building a new state of the art enclosure or ending their elephant program by phasing out their elephants. After examining the accredited institutions, there are a number of facilities that should phase out their elephants or have intentions to do.

Evaluations on the 37 accredited institutions coming soon.

As for the 18 non accredited institutions, there are only two facilities that have the same standard of commitment as the accredited institutions who are dedicated to the care of their elephants. Those two facilities are the Performing Animal Welfare Society in San Andreas, California, and the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee. The other 16 facilities are either zoos, private institutions, or circuses that don’t meet the standards of AZA, use their elephants in shows for entertainment, or enable their elephants to retire from the work of performing.
 
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pachyderm pro said:
Didn't the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee get AZA accreditation last year?
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You're right, AZA Grants Certification to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee.

Interestingly, the Performing Animal Welfare Society has a very different stance on AZA.

In The Fifth Estate documentary Zoo Elephants : The Elephant in the Room (24:12 - 24:50), Ed Stewart, the President and Co-founder of the PAWS, stated that he would never accept an accreditation from AZA.

What are the current standards for elephants in facilities accredited by AZA?
 
With the transfer of 0.1 Daisy and 0.1 Bambi to the Memphis Zoo, Circus Pages in Myakka City, Florida no longer maintains elephants. As one who believes that all circus elephant should be retired, this is great news. However, with this recent acquisition, the Memphis Zoo now maintains a herd of 0.5 African elephants. From a spatial standpoint, the Memphis Zoo does not offer ample space for even a herd of three elephants, let alone five elephants. I hope the Memphis Zoo has plans to extensively renovate the elephant facility to offer enough space for the elephants to roam.
 
Elephant Enthusiast said:
With the transfer of 0.1 Daisy and 0.1 Bambi to the Memphis Zoo, Circus Pages in Myakka City, Florida no longer maintains elephants. As one who believes that all circus elephant should be retired, this is great news. However, with this recent acquisition, the Memphis Zoo now maintains a herd of 0.5 African elephants. From a spatial standpoint, the Memphis Zoo does not offer ample space for even a herd of three elephants, let alone five elephants. I hope the Memphis Zoo has plans to extensively renovate the elephant facility to offer enough space for the elephants to roam.
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What? Does DAK not count?
 
Disney Animal Kingdom has quite the decent elephant herd. Is it not AZA-accredited?
 
With the passing of 0.1 Sunda, the Topeka Zoo now has one Asian elephant: 0.1 Cora 1958-00-00 and one African elephant: 0.1 Tembo 1970-00-00.

Because the Topeka Zoo has plans to construct a new elephant habitat for African elephants, the future of the current elephant program at the Topeka Zoo is uncertain. From a logistical standpoint, the Topeka Zoo should relocate Cora and Tembo to a zoo, one that provides for the care and husbandry of older elephants, or a sanctuary. Cora and Tembo should be able to socialize with elephants of the same species. The relocation of Cora and Tembo will enable the Topeka Zoo to construct the new elephant habitat and to obtain a herd of African elephants. Once the new elephant habitat is constructed, the Topeka Zoo could either acquire a group of post reproductive African elephants, similar to the one at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, or a matriarchal herd of African elephants along with a breeding bull.

Ultimately, the Topeka Zoo should phase out their Asian/African elephant program by relocating Cora and Tembo to a zoo or sanctuary and acquire a herd of African elephants once the new elephant habitat is complete.
 
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It's good because they will have a much better home. I suppose Robin will become a matriarch because she is the oldest. Does anyone know, is he still planning to bring some breeding cows and bulls to Atlanta?
 
Maryland Zoo has opened a renovated facility for elephants. I hope that some calf from Lil Felix is finally born. Tuffy already covered her in 2017, so he might be able to breed.
 
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