New international declaration calls for the current generation of captive elephants to be the last
Washington, D.C.—More than 50 leading scientists, elephant experts, veterinarians, legal scholars, animal welfare professionals, and advocates from around the world are calling for an end to elephant captivity in a new international declaration.
The Declaration in Opposition to Elephant Captivity calls for an end to captive breeding and the importation of wild-caught elephants, legal protections to ensure future generations of elephants remain free in the wild, and greater autonomy for elephants currently held captive—including transfer to reputable sanctuaries or reintegration into wild herds where possible.
Global Experts Join the Call
Signatories include internationally recognized elephant researchers Joyce H. Poole, PhD; Phyllis Lee; Michael Pardo, PhD; Keith Lindsay, PhD; Karen McComb, PhD; Richard William Byrne, PhD; and Bob Jacobs, PhD; philosopher and bioethicist Peter Singer; veterinarians and animal welfare experts; and leaders and representatives from ElephantVoices, Amboseli Trust for Elephants, FOUR PAWS International, World Animal Protection, Animals Asia Foundation, the Jane Goodall Institute, AWARE, Zoocheck, Species Unite, CompassionWorks International, Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS), Fondation Franz Weber, and the Nonhuman Rights Project.
“Elephants evolved to live in expansive, complex environments where they travel great distances, exercise choice, and maintain intricate social relationships,” said Catherine Doyle, M.S., Director of Science, Research and Public Policy at the Performing Animal Welfare Society. “Captivity cannot replicate those conditions. It is time to stop breeding and importing elephants for captivity and work toward a future in which elephants remain where they belong—in the wild.”
“We have reached a point where what we know about these extraordinary beings demands that we rethink the practice of keeping them captive for human purposes,” said Courtney Fern, Director of Campaigns at the Nonhuman Rights Project. “This Declaration offers a clear path forward: stop breeding elephants into captivity, protect future generations in the wild, and give those already held captive as much freedom, autonomy, and choice as possible.”
Developed by the Nonhuman Rights Project, Performing Animal Welfare Society, and Fondation Franz Weber following the 2024 PAWS International Captive Wildlife Conference, the Declaration draws on scientific research into elephants’ complex cognitive, emotional, and social needs and the harms of captivity to call for an end to elephant captivity worldwide.
Read the Declaration in Opposition to Elephant Captivity: HERE