Vusmusi’s mother, Ndulamitsi, envisioned a different life for him. She envisioned a different life for both of them.
Decades ago, she lived like any other African elephant. She roamed the grasslands of Eswatini alongside her herd, forming strong social connections with them as they explored and foraged for food. She likely never strayed far from her mother and sisters—after all, elephants are matrilineal, and many stay with their mothers even after they’re all grown up.
But, one day, Ndulamitsi was taken from her herd, never to see them again. In 2003, the expectant mother was captured and shipped off to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, where she gave birth to Vusmusi.
Unlike his mother, Vusmusi has never known what it’s like to be a free elephant. Now 19 years old, he’s lived his entire life in captivity. He’s been transferred between zoos, but the scene remains the same: he’s stuck in small enclosures that don’t meet his physical and mental needs. Aside from his mother, he has no herd to call his own. He’s even been forced into captive breeding with female elephants (all attempts have been unsuccessful).
Vusmusi is another victim of the zoo system that’s built to exploit elephants. If he was born in the wild, he would be roaming with his herd and experiencing the richness of elephant life. He would be free to be an elephant.
