About This Site


The Elephants in Canada website has been developed to provide additional information and informed commentary about elephant in captivity issues in Canada. This site is a project of Zoocheck Canada, a national animal protection charity established in 1984 to promote and protect the interests and well-being of wild animals. 

Zoocheck has had a long involvement in both wild and captive elephant issues, beginning more than 20 years ago when we organized Elephants, The Deciding Decade, the largest, single day fundraising event in Canada in support of African elephant protection. Zoocheck has collaborated with many of the world's leading elephant conservationists, biologists, scientists, veterinarians and caretakers.

Zoocheck Canada has been a driver or participant in numerous investigations and campaigns focused on issues pertaining to the keeping of elephants in captivity. These include various on-site reviews of zoo conditions, including all elephant -holding facilities in Canada, as well as site visits to additional elephant facilities, including sanctuaries, rescue centres and timber camps, in the United States, Japan, China, Indonesia and India. Zoocheck has also provided commentary on numerous campaigns conducted by foreign NGOs regarding the export of elephants from Asian range countries to zoos in non-tropical climate regions.

Several of Zoocheck Canada's campaigns have focused directly on the keeping of elephants in captivity in Canada, including an investigation of elephant facilities in Canadian zoos and initiatives to facilitate the relocation of socially isolated elephants from Canadian zoos to more appropriate situations elsewhere.