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
- Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
- Denver Zoo
The Denver Zoo currently holds 6 Asian elephants in captivity. The key issues at this facility include an ongoing active captive breeding program and a lack of space for the elephants in their care.
Featured Elephant: Groucho
Groucho is a wild-born Asian elephant currently held captive at the Denver Zoo in Colorado. Groucho was captured in India when he was one year old and imported to the United States in 1973 with several other young elephants. For over half a century Groucho has been confined to tiny small, barren enclosures at zoos across the US and forced to participate in captive breeding programs.
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.
