RSPCA: Report into zoo elephant welfare fails to confront issues

Friday, 20 August 2010 12:00 AM

Senior scientists have criticised a new report on the welfare of zoo elephants, which in part could be as poor as that of broiler chickens and dairy cattle from intensive farms.

They said the study, which was published yesterday (19.8.2010), should have called for an outright ban on importing anymore elephants into UK zoos.

The report from the Zoo's Forum, an independent body set up by Defra, reviews recent research from Bristol University* which found serious and extensive welfare problems in UK zoo elephants.

As well as having a far shorter life-span and higher infant mortality rate than wild elephants, those kept in UK zoos suffer from high levels of obesity, behavioural abnormalities and a level of lameness equivalent to that endured by intensively farmed livestock - recognised internationally as cause for great welfare concern.**

Senior RSPCA scientist Dr Ros Clubb said: "We are extremely disappointed that the report did not recommend an outright ban on importing elephants to UK zoos.

"The RSPCA believes that until solutions to the extensive and serious welfare problems can be found we should not be introducing more elephants.

"Elephants are without question suffering in zoos. They are one of the highest animal welfare concerns in Europe. Their levels of lameness are on a par to those seen in intensively farmed dairy cattle or broiler chickens.

"Adding yet more elephants to an ailing population simply masks the problems and if drastic improvements to these problems cannot be found, the RSPCA believes zoos should phase out elephant keeping.

"However, the RSPCA does support the report's recommendation to establish an independent advisory group which would monitor the welfare of elephants in zoos. It feels that it is vital this advisory group is independent and it should draw on expertise from outside the zoo world."

Notes to editors:

The full report can be found on the Defra website www.defra.gov.uk

Dr Ros Clubb will be available for interview in London from 2pm (20.8.2010). Please call the press office to arrange on 0300 123 0244/288.

*Dr Moira Harris, Dr Chris Sherwin and Prof Stephen Harris of Bristol University visited all UK zoos with elephants and released their findings in 2008. Research was funded by Defra, RSPCA, IFAW and BIAZA. The full report is available at randd.defra.gov.uk

**About 25% of populations of broiler chickens and dairy cattle have lameness scores of 3 or above, equivalent to 'obvious limp or severely lame' in the elephants studied by Bristol University researchers. This superficial analysis suggests elephants are as unhealthy as some intensively farmed livestock. Furthermore, many of the welfare issues for dairy cattle and broilers result from genetic problems due to intensive breeding, to which elephants have not been subjected suggesting husbandry systems for elephants may be even less well-suited to those two species than those for dairy cows or broilers. (Such comparisons of course mean nothing unless they are made against the background of justification. Broilers and dairy cattle are recognised as necessary food sources for humans, whereas keeping elephants in zoos is done for reasons that may in reality be less vital.)

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