Seeing elephants at the zoo might be an incredible experience for many, but knowing that their lives are compromised by spending time in captivity should give zoo keepers and visitors a lot to think about. An international team of scientists, lead by University of Guelph Prof. Georgia Mason, warned about the effects of life in captivity over the elephants’ longevity.

In this extremely controversial study, scientists concluded that female elephants in protected populations in Africa and Asia live much longer than those held in European zoos, a situation that is especially critical for Asian elephants. This is the first study on animal welfare to appear in the journal Science.

Prof. Mason explained that she expects the findings to generate more heat than light, however, the ultimate goal is to provide a model for tackling similar issues with other species as well.

Elephants living in captivity have reduced movement space, and are often confined within four walls, with minimum food, reproduction and even veterinarian requirements. Animal welfare activists have also warned about the effects of captivity over elephants’ lives, saying the confinement and poor conditions lead to chronic ailments, social deprivation, and eventually premature death.

In their study, Mason and her team used data on more than 4,500 elephants, concluding that not only do they live half as much as elephants in protected populations, but the Asian elephant suffers from high calf death rates, and is the considered the most endangered species of elephant. Comparisons were made between elephants confined in European zoos, and those in Amboseli national Park in Kenya and the Myanma Timber Enterprise in Burma.

The researchers found that African zoo elephants live around 17 years, less than Amboseli African elephants that live up to 56 years. Furthermore, while Asian elephants in Myanma Tiber Enterprise live 42 years, the Asia elephants in zoos only live 19 years.

Although some of the zoos in both Europe and the United States have began expanding the elephant enclosures, the elephants’ situation remains a harsh one, with animals being continuously taken from their natural habitat to be displayed in zoos.

The researchers found that in addition to the widespread health and reproductive problems already known in elephants, they also suffer from mental and physical ailments. The authors recommended screening all zoo elephants for signs of stress and obesity, but also called for an end to the importation of elephants from their native countries, the minimizing of inter-zoo transfers, and the restriction of breeding to those zoos that have no harmful effects on their captive-born animals.

According to PETA, zoos rob elephants of their most basic needs, including companionship and adequate space exercise. Furthermore, the lack of exercise and long hours of standing on hard surfaces contribute to foot infections and arthritis, and ultimately to the elephants’ death.