Groucho’s life is a heartbreaking example of the harms of captivity. Born free in India in 1970, he was taken from the wild as a baby and brought to the U.S. in 1973. For over 50 years, he has been confined to barren zoo enclosures and denied the freedom that elephants need to thrive. Read his full bio here.
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Groucho is currently confined in a small exhibit at the Denver Zoo, subjected to a life of monotony and deprivation. Whereas elephants in the wild roam great distances in close-knit herds, Groucho wakes up every day in an industrial barn with access to the same barren enclosure he’s been held in for over a decade. After half a century in captivity, Groucho suffers from arthritis in his back leg. He lost part of his ear due to infection. He’s been subjected to invasive breeding programs and his offspring either died or are suffering the same fate as him, being held captive in zoos. This is no life for an elephant. Groucho is entitled to live the rest of his days in peace at an accredited sanctuary, where can reclaim the dignity and freedom that he was robbed of half a century ago. |
