The project aims to end elephant captivity in Switzerland, immediately improve conditions for elephants who remain in captivity, bring breeding programmes to an end and facilitate the transfer of captive elephants to sanctuaries.
2.
How many elephants are currently held in captivity in Switzerland?
There are currently 16 elephants in Switzerland: three at Basel Zoo, five at Zurich Zoo and eight at Knies Kinderzoo in Rapperswil.
3.
Why are zoos unsuitable for elephants?
No zoo can meet the physical, psychological and social needs of an animal as intelligent and mobile as an elephant. Hard surfaces damage their feet, limited space restricts natural movement and their social structures are artificial.
4.
What are the most common health problems among captive elephants in Swiss zoos?
Serious problems with obesity have been documented in the majority of elephants, along with chronic foot conditions, which affect 98.5% of elephants in European zoos, and stereotypic behaviours such as repetitive swaying, which can indicate psychological distress. At Basel Zoo, the male Tusker was euthanised in 2023 after contracting tuberculosis. At Zurich Zoo, EEHV has caused several deaths, including three in 2022.
5.
Are elephants really intelligent animals?
Yes. Elephants have the largest brains of any land mammal and exceptional cognitive abilities. These include recognising themselves in a mirror, using tools, sophisticated spatial awareness and a remarkable social memory that allows them to recognise hundreds of individuals.
6.
Don’t zoos contribute to the conservation of the species?
Keeping elephants in captivity does not contribute to conserving the species in its natural habitat. No elephant born in a European zoo has ever been successfully reintroduced into the wild, and there is currently no realistic prospect of this happening in the future. Swiss zoos also devote only a small proportion of their income to projects in elephants’ natural habitats. For example, Zurich Zoo allocates 3.1% of its income to such projects, while Basel Zoo contributes only around CHF 50,000 a year.
7.
What about elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV)?
Although EEHV also occurs in the wild, wild populations have adapted to it and generally survive infection. The virus causes high mortality primarily in captivity, particularly because chronic stress can weaken the immune system. Several elephants at Zurich Zoo have died from the disease, including three in 2022.
8.
Why are elephants transferred from one zoo to another?
Zoos exchange elephants as part of breeding programmes, often separating mothers and daughters. This happened with Tika and her daughters, who were transferred to Basel Zoo in May 2026 and separated from Tika’s mother, who remained at Wuppertal Zoo. Such transfers can break family bonds that would normally last a lifetime in the wild.
9.
What does Swiss law say about elephants?
Switzerland has some of the world’s most advanced animal welfare legislation. Yet when it comes to elephants, the law largely limits itself to setting minimum enclosure sizes that remain far below what is needed to meet their biological, social and behavioural needs. This reveals a clear inconsistency: in 2012, Switzerland banned the import of cetaceans on the grounds that their intelligence and physical, psychological and social needs could not be adequately accommodated in captivity. Yet the same reasoning has not been applied to elephants, despite their being among the most intelligent and social animals on the planet.
10.
What is a sanctuary, and why is it better?
Unlike a zoo, a sanctuary does not breed animals for display, reproduction programmes or public entertainment. Its purpose is to provide a permanent home and care for animals who cannot be released back into the wild and who have suffered as a result of captivity. Elephants in sanctuaries have access to large areas of land, sometimes covering hundreds of hectares. This gives them greater opportunities to express natural behaviours and more choice over where they go, how they interact with other elephants and how they spend their time. A sanctuary puts the animals’ wellbeing and autonomy before their display to the public.
11.
Are there elephant sanctuaries in Europe?
Yes. There are currently two elephant sanctuaries in Europe: Elephant Haven in France and Pangea Trust in Portugal.
12.
How can I help elephants in Switzerland?
You can help by learning about and sharing the reality of elephant captivity, supporting Fondation Franz Weber financially, and calling on the authorities to end elephant breeding and transfers.
13.
How does train noise affect elephants’ seismic hearing?
Noise and vibrations from trains can interfere with the seismic communication of elephants – low-frequency vibrations that elephants transmit and detect through the ground over distances of several kilometres. These signals help maintain group cohesion, coordinate movement, detect danger and communicate during reproduction. Railway vibrations can mask these signals, reduce their range or create “seismic pollution” that may interfere with elephants’ natural behaviour.
14.
Why is EEHV more dangerous in zoos?
The Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) is not limited to zoos and also occurs in wild populations. However, several factors may increase the risk of serious illness in captivity. Chronic stress can weaken the immune system; young elephants often live in small, artificially formed groups; transfers between zoos can facilitate the spread of different viral strains; and some young elephants may not have been exposed to the virus while they were still protected by maternal antibodies, potentially leaving them more vulnerable to severe disease later.
15.
Which other zoos have already closed their elephant facilities?
Several zoos have already decided to stop keeping elephants, either for animal welfare reasons or because they concluded that they could no longer provide suitable conditions for such demanding animals. Since 2025, thanks in part to the work of Fondation Franz Weber, there are no longer any elephants in captivity in Argentina.
16.
How can an animal weighing several tonnes be relocated to a sanctuary without causing a lot of stress?
Moving an elephant to a sanctuary is carefully planned to minimise stress. Over several weeks or months, the elephant is gradually accustomed to its transport crate under the supervision of experienced keepers and specialist veterinarians. After arriving at the sanctuary, the elephant is given time to settle into its new surroundings before gaining access to larger natural areas. Many elephants have been successfully transferred from zoos to sanctuaries, where they have more space, autonomy and opportunities to express natural behaviours.
17.
What happens if an elephant is too old or unwell to travel thousands of kilometres?
Not every elephant will necessarily be suitable for transfer. If an elephant is very old, seriously ill or in a condition that would make the journey too risky, experts may recommend that the animal remains where it is. Each case should be assessed individually by veterinarians and animal welfare specialists. The aim is not to transfer elephants at all costs, but to choose the option that offers each individual the best possible quality of life, taking into account their age, health and social needs.
18.
What will happen to facilities that cost millions of francs, such as the elephant dome at Zoo Zurich, if the elephants leave?
The departure of elephants does not necessarily make these facilities redundant. Many zoos that have stopped keeping elephants have repurposed their former elephant facilities for other species, educational programmes or biodiversity projects. The elephant dome at Zurich Zoo, for example, could potentially house animals better suited to this type of environment or be used to educate visitors about tropical ecosystems. However, the fact that a facility required significant investment should not justify continuing to keep animals in conditions that do not meet their needs.
19.
Who pays for the elephants’ care in sanctuaries once they leave Switzerland?
Funding arrangements depend on the sanctuary. Most elephant sanctuaries are supported by foundations, private donations, benefactors and, in some cases, partnerships with zoos or animal welfare organisations. Institutions transferring animals may also contribute towards the cost of their ongoing care. The cost of caring for an elephant in a sanctuary is generally comparable to the cost in a zoo, but the resources are focused primarily on the animal’s wellbeing rather than displaying it to the public.
20.
Without elephants in zoos, how will my children learn to love and protect them?
There is no evidence that simply seeing elephants in captivity encourages visitors to protect the species or change their behaviour in ways that benefit conservation. Despite decades of elephants being displayed in zoos around the world, wild populations have continued to decline. Children can learn about and develop respect for elephants through educational programmes, documentaries, books and immersive technologies that show how elephants really live in the wild. Respect comes from understanding their natural lives, intelligence and the threats they face – not from seeing them inside an enclosure.
21.
What impact would closing elephant facilities have on the local economy and tourism?
Several zoos have repurposed their former elephant facilities for new projects that better reflect modern animal welfare standards. The experience of zoos that have stopped keeping elephants shows no evidence of a major economic impact or a significant long-term decline in visitor numbers. Several zoos have successfully repurposed their former elephant facilities for new projects that better meet modern animal welfare standards. This shows that keeping elephants is not essential to maintaining a zoo’s appeal or a city’s attractiveness as a tourist destination.
22.
Do the European sanctuaries have enough space for all 16 elephants currently living in Switzerland?
There is currently no single European sanctuary capable of taking all 16 elephants held in Switzerland. However, nobody is proposing that all the elephants should be moved immediately or at the same time. Any transition would take place gradually over several years, taking into account each elephant’s age, health and social needs. Existing sanctuaries could be expanded, new facilities could be developed, and some elephants might remain in their current facilities for the rest of their lives. The goal is to gradually phase out elephant captivity and breeding, not to move every elephant overnight.
Get Involved
How to Help
The ELE campaign has already helped bring elephant captivity in Argentina to an end. With your support, we can work towards the same goal in Switzerland.
Raise awareness and share
The first step is to raise awareness of the reality of elephant captivity. Share information from this campaign on social media and with friends and family. An informed public can help pave the way for change.
Fondation Franz Weber is committed to long-term action, including scientific research, legal analysis, field investigations, public awareness and dialogue with the authorities.
Every contribution helps us protect the well-being and dignity of elephants, promote sanctuary solutions and advance an approach based on respect for their biological, psychological and social needs.
