George Bernard Shaw

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ADI praises India for banning elephants in zoos and circuses

15 Novemeber 2009

Animal Defenders International (ADI) today welcomed reports that India is to ban elephants in circuses and zoos. ADI understands that a new directive from the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) will make the sight of elephants languishing in circuses and zoos a thing of the past. Indian zoos have been instructed to re-locate their elephants.

The CZA issued a notice earlier this week to zoo authorities stating that their animals should be sent to national parks, sanctuaries or reserves with immediate effect and that these measures would also apply to circus animals. The directive is reported to state that zoos and circuses are "not the best places for large animals" which "require a large area to move about freely". It is estimated that there are about 140 elephants in zoos and circuses in India.

ADI, which has campaigned on the issue of performing animals in circuses for the past fifteen years, today welcomed the move as a hugely progressive. ADI has studied the conditions of animals in travelling circuses and has compiled a wealth of evidence, film footage and photographs, taken by undercover officers in the UK and worldwide showing how animals suffer violence and confinement.

Jan Creamer, ADI Chief Executive, said: "This is a fantastic step towards animal protection in India. Elephants are intelligent, social animals that need a large amount of space, a natural social network and a great deal of stimulation. Our investigations have shown time after time that wild animals such as elephants suffer greatly in captivity, especially under the impoverished conditions provided by travelling circuses. The temporary and transient nature of circuses means that even with the best will in the world, circuses cannot provide animals with adequate facilities to keep them physically or psychologically healthy. Welfare is always compromised."