Elephants should be free.
In zoos across the US, elephants are being imprisoned and exploited for human gain. Help us expose the reality of elephant captivity in the US zoo system and bring it to an end.
Using the map below and the elephant index on this site, learn about the over 250 elephants who are currently held captive in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and how they are suffering.
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- District of Columbia
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Memphis Zoo
- Zoo Knoxville
Following the death of 46-year-old Tonka, Zoo Knoxville no longer holds elephants in captivity. The key issues for the elephants who were held captive at this facility included being forced to participate in a captive breeding program and not having access to a sufficient amount of space.
Featured Elephant: Tonka
Tonka was born around 1978 in South Africa’s Kruger National Park, but in 1981, humans violently tore him from his familial herd and imported him to the United States. From March 10, 1981 until his death on May 8, 2024, he was confined at Zoo Knoxville, which provided less than an acre of space to all of the elephants confined there. Despite attempts by the zoo to breed Tonka, he never sired any offspring. His life was defined by isolation, subjugation, exploitation, and suffering.
Take Action Today
Free to Be Elephants is dedicated to raising awareness of the realities of elephant captivity, but our work doesn’t end there. Elephants are depending on us to correct the grave injustice of their imprisonment. Please take action today to help us secure freedom for elephants in the US.
