Joyce Deserves a Life in Sanctuary
Since 2010, Joyce has been part of the Wild Safari exhibit at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in New Jersey. This is no place for an elephant.
Join us in demanding Six Flags release Joyce and the other elephants to sanctuaries and close the elephant exhibit for good.
Joyce Deserves a Life in Sanctuary
Since 2010, Joyce has been part of the Wild Safari exhibit at the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in New Jersey. This is no place for an elephant.
Join us in demanding Six Flags release Joyce and the other elephants to sanctuaries and close the elephant exhibit for good.
We are asking Six Flags to:
- Immediately work with one of the three US-based sanctuaries that care for elephants to release Joyce to their care.
- Identify sanctuary placements for the remaining elephants at the Wild Safari and set timelines for their relocation.
- Close down the elephant enclosure and commit to not purchasing or breeding any new elephants for the Wild Safari.
Joyce's History
Joyce, an African Elephant, was brought to the US from the wilds of Zimbabwe in the 1980s after most of her herd was killed in the government’s elephant culling operation. Since arriving in the US alongside 62 other orphaned elephants, Joyce has suffered a traumatic history of performances, isolation, and stress, regularly passed around between zoos, circuses, and other captive attractions around the US.
Barren Enclosures, Rumbling Rollercoasters
Six Flags holds the elephants in small, barren enclosures, and Joyce has been isolated in an area approximately 700,000 times less than an African Elephant would have in the wild. These enclosures are also in close proximity to the rollercoasters, which may disturb the elephants, considering they can detect vibrations over miles.
The Problem with Captivity
Captivity is inherently psychologically and physically harmful to elephants. It is not possible to meet the complex physical, social, and spatial needs of elephants in a zoo setting, like the Wild Safari. Elephants in captivity experience devastating impacts on their physical and psychological well-being, including shorter lifespans, behavior problems, and chronic diseases.
Joyce Deserves A Better Life
Moving Joyce and the other elephants to a legitimate sanctuary offers them the best opportunity to lead fulfilling lives. Six Flags is an amusement park. Its attractions and exhibits are designed to amuse and entertain paying customers. Joyce and the other elephants don't exist to educate or entertain humans. They are living beings who deserve to live on their own terms and make decisions without human interference.
Joyce's History
Joyce, an African Elephant, was brought to the US from the wilds of Zimbabwe in the 1980s after most of her herd was killed in the government’s elephant culling operation. Since arriving in the US alongside 62 other orphaned elephants, Joyce has suffered a traumatic history of performances, isolation, and stress, regularly passed around between zoos, circuses, and other captive attractions around the US.
Barren Enclosures, Rumbling Rollercoasters
Six Flags holds the elephants in small, barren enclosures, and Joyce has been isolated in an area approximately 700,000 times less than an African Elephant would have in the wild. These enclosures are also in close proximity to the rollercoasters, which may disturb the elephants, considering they can detect vibrations over miles.
The Problem with Captivity
Captivity is inherently psychologically and physically harmful to elephants. It is not possible to meet the complex physical, social, and spatial needs of elephants in a zoo setting, like the Wild Safari. Elephants in captivity experience devastating impacts on their physical and psychological well-being, including shorter lifespans, behavior problems, and chronic diseases.
Joyce Deserves A Better Life
Moving Joyce and the other elephants to a legitimate sanctuary offers them the best opportunity to lead fulfilling lives. Six Flags is an amusement park. Its attractions and exhibits are designed to amuse and entertain paying customers. Joyce and the other elephants don't exist to educate or entertain humans. They are living beings who deserve to live on their own terms and make decisions without human interference.
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You can trust World Animal Protection.
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