Indu is nearly 60 years old and has been at the Phoenix Zoo since 1998. In that time, she has had a few elephant roommates, some new rhino neighbors, many habitat improvements and has created strong bonds with her keepers and our community. At this point in her life, Indu is taking it easy, but has recently become a target of attention from people demanding the removal of elephants from zoos and relocating  them to sanctuaries. While we appreciate and support the work of accredited sanctuaries around the world, it is important to realize that they may not be the best fit for every elephant.

There are many risks associated with moving an elephant of Indu’s age, and we feel this type of move would not be beneficial to her wellbeing. Additionally, it’s important to note that the organization who oversees the accreditation of the Phoenix Zoo also accredits sanctuaries, applying the same set of high standards.  

However, in recent months we have received many questions regarding Indu, and we would like to answer a few below.

How is Indu’s health?

Indu is nearly 60 years old, which is elderly for an Asian elephant. She has arthritis and moves slowly most days. She receives daily husbandry, also known as scientific managed care, and specialized medical care and has a team of dedicated keepers and veterinarians who have her best interests in mind.

Elephants are social, why is Indu alone?

Elephants in general are indeed social creatures. However, Indu has preferred to be alone since she has been at the Phoenix Zoo, even when the Zoo housed two other Asian elephants, Reba and Sheena. They all came to the Zoo separately as older adults. Despite our best efforts to gently integrate them into a herd structure, they let us know repeatedly that they did not want to be in a shared space and did not want to form a herd. By paying attention to the individuals’ preferences, we developed a strategy in which we could keep them adjacent to one another with protective barriers in between so they could easily see, hear, smell and have limited touch with one another. Currently, Indu rotates space with our two greater one-horned rhinos: Chutti & Bhotu.

As an AZA Institution, you are required to have three elephants aren’t you?

The Phoenix Zoo has a “temporary variance” permit from the AZA to house just one elephant given our unique situation and Indu’s preference to be housed alone. A temporary variance means that while the Zoo has space to hold up to three, it is not required to do so.

Why won’t you send Indu to a Sanctuary?

While we respect the work of accredited  sanctuaries, we believe that Indu will be best cared for at the Phoenix Zoo for the remainder of her life. At Indu’s age of nearly 60 years old, a move to a sanctuary could put her health and safety at risk. Recently, two other elderly elephants who were moved to a sanctuary passed away shortly after being transported there. For her well-being, and to continue to give her the highest level of individualized care, we feel it is best for Indu to remain at the Phoenix Zoo, where she is lovingly cared for by our world-class staff and caretakers.