From 1994 to 1998, at least 26 circus elephants
died premature and unnatural deaths. Most circus elephants are chained
by at least two legs for 95% of their lives in a space no larger
than an automobile. They are unchained only to perform. The natural
behavior patterns of the elephant, which have evolved over thousands
of years, are denied by this confined, chained, and dominated life.
To disrupt and prevent the natural behavior of these intelligent,
social creatures is not only inhumane and cruel, but stressful to
the individual animal as well.
Information regarding the deaths and injuries
of captive elephants is difficult to obtain. This list is therefore
probably incomplete.
|
Name
|
Age
|
Sex
|
Date
|
Cause of Death
|
Kenya
|
13 |
F |
4/98 |
Injury of questionable origin |
| Kenny |
3 |
M |
1/98 |
Gastrointestinal infection? |
| Sneeze |
27 |
F |
12/97 |
Kidney failure |
| Heather |
8 |
F |
8/97 |
Incompetent animal husbandry |
| Ola |
40 |
F |
3/97 |
Died after foot surgery |
| Name Unknown |
? |
F |
1997 |
Herpes virus? |
Tunga
|
32 |
M |
9/96 |
Unknown |
| Hattie |
27 |
F |
8/96 |
Tuberculosis |
| Joyce |
47 |
F |
8/96 |
Tuberculosis |
| Bandula |
30 |
F |
6/96 |
Euthanized after suffering 26
years with arthritis |
Stoney
|
21 |
M |
8/95 |
Complications from training injury |
| Mary |
50+ |
F |
4/95 |
"Collapsed and died" |
| Jockey |
20 |
M |
3/95 |
Shot to death |
| Rhonda |
9 |
F |
3/95 |
Burned to death |
| Mike |
? |
M |
3/95 |
Burned to death |
| Lois |
24 |
F |
1/95 |
"Foot infection spread through
her body" |
| Sahib |
20 |
M |
1/95 |
"Killed because he was
"unmanageable" |
Bombay
|
40+ |
F |
1994 |
Unknown |
| Dumbo |
43 |
F |
12/94 |
Tuberculosis |
Mona
|
26 |
F |
10/94 |
Metabolic disease |
| Kay |
50 |
F |
10/94 |
Kidney ailment |
| Amy |
? |
F |
9/94 |
Unknown |
| Tyke |
21 |
F |
8/94 |
Shot to death |
| Siam |
? |
M |
7/94 |
"Euthanized" |
| Assam |
24 |
M |
6/94 |
"Died under sedation" |
