The Federation of Zoological Garden

The Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland said in a statement that its members remained committed to improving the welfare of their elephants. “Given the bleak outlook for elephants in the wild, zoo elephants have an increasingly valuable role to play,” the statement said. Apart from their drawing power as major wildlife attractions, zoo elephants are important for conservation, research, and public education. “Elephants are generally used a flagship species,” said Eggert. “As such, they inspire awe and love for nature in people and further inspire them to open their pocketbooks to give money for conservation of habitats,”