I’ll never forget the last time I saw Little Mac. There she was, in her tiny, barren enclosure at the Santa Barbara Zoo, shackles on her ankles as staff watched her every move and directed her to go from point A to B. She was in a literal cage for about an hour. I was horrified, saddened, and appalled at what I was witnessing. This magnificent being was being treated as a prisoner: there’s no other way to describe it.
The enclosure she was confined to, and had been confined to for over four decades, was incomprehensibly small. It appeared to be around a quarter of an acre, with a good portion made of cement or something like it. I couldn’t stop thinking about what torture her life was. I felt angry about how this had been allowed to continue and how people could look on, seemingly amused by the sight of this utterly defeated being, her body worn down by decades of confinement, her spirit crushed. Just one week later, she was euthanized—another victim of a system that exploits and discards elephants under the guise of education and conservation.
Sadly, Little Mac found freedom only in her death. But a just future is still possible for elephants in zoos. Please consider making an end-of-year donation to the NhRP so we can continue to build out our Free To Be Elephants campaign–a first-of-its-kind resource for elephant rights advocates. Through December 31st, every donation will be matched dollar for dollar up to $75,000.
In zoos across the US, elephants are being imprisoned and exploited for human gain. The NhRP’s Free To Be Elephants campaign exists to expose the reality of elephant captivity in US zoos and bring it to an end. Centered on an online portal that’s the first of its kind for elephants, the campaign tells the life stories of elephants held in zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums and details zoos’ little-known unjust practices, like captive breeding and the international elephant trade.
We’re adding new stories to this portal every month, with 80 in-depth stories completed so far. In 2025, we expect to have completed more than 200 stories as we prepare for phase two of the campaign–grassroots advocacy, which will give elephant advocates everything they need to call on these zoos to end their elephant programs and help elephants across the US find sanctuary. We believe that public awareness and support generated by the campaign will in turn help create a climate in which judges and lawmakers are inspired to recognize nonhuman rights and create real, lasting legal change for elephants.
Little Mac’s life was defined by oppression. Stolen from her herd in India when she was just a year old, she spent 47 years in a zoo enclosure, robbed of her dignity and the ability to engage in any natural behavior. She had no freedom of choice over any aspect of her life, no family to bond with, no environment that could stimulate her mind or body. Even her basic health needs were unmet. Her life ended in pain, as she suffered from arthritis, intestinal bleeding, and chronic dental issues—ailments directly tied to decades of captivity. With your support, we can create a world where elephants are free to be elephants and where no elephant ever suffers again as Little Mac did.
Thank you,
Courtney Fern
Director of Government Relations, the NhRP
P.S. We know everyone is receiving a lot of emails this time of year, which is why we have created an option for you to choose the types of emails you receive from us while our end-of-year giving campaign is ongoing. Make your selections here.
