Death of two baby elephants proves they don't belong in UK zoos, campaigners warn

Born Free said elephants are completely unsuited to being kept in zoos and the breeding serves no meaningful conservation purpose after 40% of infants in captivity die before the age of five.

The tragic death of two baby elephants at Blackpool Zoo highlights how "completely unsuitable these animals are to a life captivity", campaigners have warned.

Charity Born Free said that 40% of infants in zoos die before the age of five with breeding serving “no meaningful conservation purpose.” There are currently 48 elephants remaining in 10 UK zoos.

Earlier this year it was announced that Asian elephants, Noorjahan and Esha, were expecting and were due to give birth late this year. But on Tuesday it was revealed that 29-year-old Noorjahan gave birth to a baby which had died in the womb, while 10-year-old Esha experienced “challenges” rearing her newborn, resulting in the calf passing away at just three days old.

Chris Lewis, Born Free’s Captivity Research & Policy Manager: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the deaths of both baby elephants at Blackpool Zoo. Our thoughts are with the elephant keepers who frequently form a close bond with their animals, and of course, the elephants themselves who are widely known to experience and demonstrate complex feelings of grief.”

“Elephants are multifaceted, wide-ranging animals who are completely unsuited to being kept in zoos, and the breeding of elephants in captivity serves no meaningful conservation purpose. We urge the UK Government, zoos and all stakeholders to bring an end to elephant breeding in UK zoos and humanely phase-out their keeping over time.”

This was Esha’s first baby, while Noorjahan, who is the mother of Esha, has already experienced the loss of one previous calf.

A report by Born Free found that infant mortality and occurrence of stillbirths in captive elephants is significantly higher than would be expected in the wild. This is due to females being mated too young and having shorter interbirth intervals, unnatural herd structures, and the high mortality rate in captive populations caused by the highly fatal elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus haemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD).

In the wild, juvenile female elephants are thought to learn mothering skills by interacting with and helping to take care of the calves in their herd. Esha, as the last calf born at Twycross Zoo, had never witnessed an elephant birth. Between 2000-2020, 13 of 64 pregnancies (20.3%) among zoo elephants in the UK resulted in stillbirths, with 20 of 121 pregnancies (16.5%) among captive elephants in the US and Canada resulting in stillbirths over the same period. The rate of stillbirths in wild African elephants is estimated at 11.9%, and 12.3% in working Asian elephants.

Wild Asian and African elephants typically reach reproductive age at around 11-12 years, whereas at the time of conception it is believed that Esha was just nine. Research has highlighted how early reproductive onset is common in elephants kept in zoos.

Freedom for Animals said it was “high time for change” adding that “it is clear that elephants do not belong in zoo cages. “We are calling on DEFRA to phase out the keeping of elephants, starting with an immediate ban on breeding and an immediate ban on the transfer of elephants to or from UK zoos. Zoos need to accept the evidence and cease breeding or attempting to breed elephants with immediate effect.”

Earlier this week a zookeeper needed hospital care after he was crushed by an elephant at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire. The worker was cleaning the animals when ten-year-old Tarli slammed him against some steel bars.

Adam Kenyon, Elephant Section Head at Blackpool Zoo said: “As elephants are extremely intelligent animals and will mourn the loss, we are continuing to monitor them all closely. The relationships developed between our elephant care team and the elephants themselves are truly extraordinary; without this level of dedication and commitment, we would not be able to provide the optimal levels of care we strive for at Blackpool Zoo.

"We are immensely grateful to the team, knowing that we did everything possible to try to save the calf, and wish to thank them for their huge efforts – we hope that everyone will respect our team during this difficult time. Despite the sadness we all feel at present, the natural and complex behaviours of the individual elephants, observed throughout these devastating events, have shown that there is a bright future ahead for the herd and we will continue to support both their needs and the future of this incredible species.”