Absence of Bronx Zoo’s Asian elephant fuels debate over captivity

Happy, a 50-year-old Asian elephant at the Bronx Zoo, has been absent from public view since July, sparking concerns from animal rights activists and zoo visitors.

Despite assurances from the zoo that Happy is healthy and choosing to stay in her barn, activists argue her isolation highlights the issue of keeping such a highly social animal in captivity. Happy has lived alone since 2006 after a companion’s death and legal battles over her confinement have failed to free her. A recent health inspection by the USDA found no issues, but activists remain skeptical, demanding more transparency.

Experts continue to debate the ethics of keeping elephants in zoos, while the Bronx Zoo defended its care practices. “We have learned how to care for them better, how to meet their needs and how to manage them from a physical standpoint, and from a psychological and a social standpoint,” Dan Ashe, the president and chief executive of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, told The New York Times.