How can zoos better contribute towards the conservation of elephants?
Enlightened zoos contribute toward conservation partly by providing direct support to conservation initiatives in the wild and, to a certain extent, by positively influencing the public’s attitudes towards wildlife, in general, and conservation efforts, in particular. An enlightened and excellent zoo is, in the elephant context, a zoo that accepts and implements actions that hold the uncompromised interests and well being of the elephants first and foremost. As far as we are aware, there is, unfortunately, no zoo today that fulfils this commitment. For those zoos who accept that they cannot achieve the standards necessary to meet the interests and well being of elephants, we believe that a good alternative is to present the captivating world of wild elephants through an advanced multimedia elephant information center. Live web cam connections to elephant conservation projects in different parts of the world, interactive tools that show the elephant’s physical and behavioural features i
