Rapperswil Zoo
The Elephants in Rapperswil Zoo
Rapperswil Zoo has kept elephants since the 1960s. In 2016, the zoo inaugurated the Himmapan Elephant Park, described as a modern facility designed to improve the living conditions of the Asian elephants. The elephants and giraffes are the main attraction at Knies Kinderzoo, reflecting its close ties to Cirque Knie, which used elephants in its performances for decades before finally ending the practice in 2016.
The zoo currently keeps eight Asian elephants (Elephas maximus):
- Ceylon II: a female born in 1970 and used in the Cirque Knie until 2016.
- Rani: a female born in 1982 in Myanmar, used in the Cirque Knie since 1990; she arrived at Knies Kinderzoo in 2009, but was ‘loaned’ to Pairi Daiza Zoo between 2012 and 2015.
- Sabu: a female born in 1984 in Myanmar.
- Mapalay: a female born in 1986 in Myanmar.
- Sandry: a female born in 1999 at Knies Kinderzoo (mother of Kamon and Kalaya).
- Kalaya: a female born in 1999 at Knies Kinderzoo (parents: Sandry and Po Chin).
- Thisiam: a male born in 1998 at the Paris-Vincennes Zoo; has been in Knies Kinderzoo since 2015.
- Kamon: a male born in 2022 at Knies Kinderzoo (parents: Sandry and Mekong).
The living conditions of the elephants at Knies Kinderzoo remain far from adequate in terms of their biological, social and cognitive needs. The outdoor areas total around 5,000 m², which only provide the animals with the freedom to roam very short distances, on ground that is mostly hard and in an environment that lacks stimulation. The elephants have little hope of fulfilling their natural roaming behaviour; on average, a wild elephant travels around 10 kilometres per day.
A report drawn up in 2023 by Dr Keith Lindsay also identified several serious problems: several elephants were obese, some had foot disorders, and there was stereotypical behaviour and social withdrawal. The female Ceylon II, who was very old, was kept alone because she could no longer feed herself properly in the group.
The zoo’s history also attests to the difficulties inherent in captivity: several elephants born at Rapperswil died at a young age, some after being relocated to other institutions or the circus. Others were euthanised due to health problems or security issues. Knies Kinderzoo is very far from meeting the necessary standards to fulfil the physical, mental, and social needs of the elephants.
Conservation
In January 2024, the zoo’s director spoke about transforming the zoo from a ‘zoo attraction’ to a ‘place of education and experiences’, placing greater emphasis on animal welfare, educational content and sustainable investment in its facilities. Like many other zoos, Knies Kinderzoo promotes the protection of biodiversity and species conservation. However, concrete actions supporting in situ conservation (within animals’ natural habitats) remain limited. The zoo is involved in a conservation project for Asian elephants in Sri Lanka. However, no information has been published regarding the level of financial support.
The elephants kept at Rapperswil do not contribute to the recovery of wild populations and remain part of a system of captivity based on breeding, transfers between institutions and public display.
Science
Education
The zoo claims to raise public awareness of the importance of protecting animals and biodiversity. However, its educational content is particularly limited, with an almost complete absence of detailed explanations about the animals’ biology, their complex social needs, or the threats faced by wild populations. The emphasis is placed primarily on the visitor’s direct experience and close contact with the animals.
This contradiction is all the more striking given that the zoo continued to offer elephant rides until the end of 2025 and still promotes close interaction with these animals. However, the current recommendations of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) no longer support such practices. The Knies Kinderzoo is not a member of the EAZA.