With the recognition that zoos cannot adequately provide for the complex needs of elephants, several zoos have closed their elephant exhibits, setting a positive precedent worldwide.
| United States | ||
| Zoo | Year | Elephant Disposition |
| Buffalo Zoo (New York) |
2018 | In August 2018, the Buffalo Zoo announced that it would be moving Asian elephants Jothi and Surapa to the Audubon Zoo. |
| Virginia Zoo (Virginia) |
2016 | In November 2015, the Virginia Zoo announced that it would be moving African elephants Lisa and Cita to Zoo Miami. |
| Woodland Park Zoo (Washington) |
2015 | It transferred elephants Bamboo and Chai to the Oklahoma City Zoo. |
| Greenville Zoo (South Carolina) | 2014 | After African elephant Ladybird died in March, Greenville Zoo sent the remaining elephant, 44-year-old Joy, to another facility. Joy died while being transported to the new location. |
| BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo (Louisiana) |
2013 | It transferred the last elephant to the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. |
| Niabi Zoo (Illinois) |
2013 | It transferred the last two elephants to the Little Rock Zoo in Arkansas. |
| Central Florida Zoo & Botanical Gardens (Florida) |
2011 | It transferred the last elephant to Zoo Miami. |
| The Jackson Zoo (Mississippi) |
2010 | It transferred two African elephants to the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee. |
| Brookfield Zoo (Illinois) |
2010 | The last remaining elephant, Joyce, who was “on loan” from Six Flags Discovery Kingdom, was returned to Vallejo, California. |
| Lion Country Safari (Florida) |
2010 | It transferred African elephants Stumpy and Mama to the Dallas Zoo in March 2010. |
| Philadelphia Zoo (Pennsylvania) | 2009 | It transferred two African elephants to the Pittsburgh Zoo’s elephant-breeding center in June 2009. |
| Alaska Zoo (Alaska) |
2007 | It transferred an African elephant to the Performing Animal Welfare Society in San Andreas, California. |
| Abilene Zoo (Texas) |
2007 | It transferred the remaining elephant, 29-year-old Tanya, to the Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas. |
| Gladys Porter Zoo (Texas) | 2006 | Citing its inability to increase the size of its elephant exhibit, sent its only elephant, Ruth, a 28-year-old African, to another facility. |
| Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago) | 2005 | After all three of its elephants died within a six-month period, announced that camels will be moved into the empty elephant exhibit. |
| Detroit Zoo (Michigan) | 2005 | In 2004, citing problems with keeping elephants in captivity, it announced its decision to close its elephant exhibit and send the two female Asian elephants—Winky, age 51, and Wanda, age 46—to a sanctuary. |
| San Francisco Zoo (California) | 2004 | It announced its decision to close its elephant exhibit and send Tinkerbelle, a 37-year-old Asian elephant, and Lulu, a 38-year-old African elephant, to a sanctuary. |
| Chehaw Wild Animal Park (Georgia) | 2004 | It retired Tange and Zula, both 30-year-old African elephants, to The Elephant Sanctuary because the elephants “deserve to live out their remaining years in the very best captive environment possible.” |
| Henry Vilas Zoo (Wisconsin) | 2000 | It retired Winkie, a 34-year-old Asian elephant, to The Elephant Sanctuary, and transferred Penny, a 21-year-old African elephant, to Riverbanks Zoo in North Carolina. |
| Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo (Louisiana) |
1999 | It retired Shirley, a 51-year-old Asian elephant, to The Elephant Sanctuary because “[i]t was in Shirley’s best interest to retire her to a place that was more suitable.” |
| Mesker Park Zoo (Indiana) | 1999 | It retired Bunny, a 46-year-old Asian elephant, to The Elephant Sanctuary. |
| Frank Buck Zoo (Texas) | 1998 | It transferred Sissy, a 20-year-old Asian elephant, to the Houston Zoo, then to El Paso Zoo, and finally to The Elephant Sanctuary. |
| Sacramento Zoo (California) | 1991 | It sent lone elephant Winky to the Detroit Zoo because the zoo’s elephant enclosure was considered “totally inadequate.” |
| Buttonwood Park Zoo (Massachusetts) |
Pending | In 2013, it announced that when the elephants currently there pass away, the elephant exhibit will be closed. |
| Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium (Washington) |
Pending | In 2011, it announced that when the elephants currently there pass away, it will likely be the end of the elephant exhibit. |
| Santa Barbara Zoo (California) | Pending | In 2006, it announced that it will not take any more elephants after the current two die. |
| Bronx Zoo (New York) | Pending | In 2006, it announced that when two of the three elephants pass away, the remaining one will be sent to another zoo and the elephant exhibit will close. |
| International | ||
| Zoo | Year | Elephant Disposition |
| Mendoza Zoological Park (Argentina) | 2016 | Transferred Four Elephants to Elephant Sanctuary Brazil |
| Toronto Zoo (Canada) |
2013 | Transferred two African elephants to the Performing Animal Welfare Society in San Andreas, California. |
| All zoos in India | 2009 | As mandated by a decision of India’s Central Zoo Authority, announced the transfer of all 140 elephants living in 26 Indian zoos to wildlife parks and sanctuaries where they can graze more freely. |
| Dudley Zoo (United Kingdom) | 2003 | Transferred African elephants Flossie and Flora to Planet Sauvage in Nantes, France. (Dudley Zoo had admitted for some years that its enclosure was not appropriate, and fundraising to build a new enclosure was unsuccessful, so the zoo finally decided to find a new home for the elephants and has no plans to have more elephants in the future.) |
| Longleat Safari Park (United Kingdom) | 2003 | Closed the elephant exhibit at its 350-acre Wiltshire site and relocated five African elephants to the Zoo Parc de Beauval in France. |
| Bristol Zoo (United Kingdom) | 2002 | Euthanized the lone 42-year-old female elephant, Wendy, after years of suffering from arthritis. (She had been kept alone in a tiny enclosure since 1986. Bristol Zoo elected not to replace her.) |
| London Zoo (United Kingdom) | 2001 | Permanently relocated three female Asian elephants (Mya, Layang-Layang, and Dilberta) to Whipsnade Wild Animal Park, closing the zoo’s 170-year-old elephant exhibit. (London Zoo’s enclosure had been heavily criticized for years, and a keeper was killed in October 2001.) |
| Edinburgh Zoo (United Kingdom) | 1988 | No longer keeps elephants because of fears that captivity may cause harm to the animals. |
