Sponsors (2)
The bill shifts elephants out of zoo captivity and toward accredited sanctuaries—improving animal welfare and reducing risky public displays—but does so at the cost of lost zoo revenue and exhibits, increased burdens on sanctuaries, and higher government/taxpayer and logistical transition costs.
Visitors and local communities will face fewer elephant performances and closer public contact as elephants are moved to accredited sanctuaries, reducing public safety risks and promoting more natural, welfare-focused care.
African and Asian elephants will receive lifelong care in accredited sanctuaries that meet space, veterinary, and naturalistic standards, improving animal health and welfare compared with continued zoo captivity.
Zoos and safari parks can stop the high recurring costs of keeping elephants and potentially reallocate up to roughly $100,000 per elephant per year to other conservation, education, or exhibit programs.
Zoos and safari parks will lose the ability to display and breed elephants, reducing admissions revenue and visitor draws and risking job losses or reduced programming at affected institutions.
Federal oversight, new standards, transfers, and grant funding will increase administrative and program costs that could fall on taxpayers through USDA enforcement budgets or direct sanctuary support.
Sanctuaries and nonprofit rescuers will face substantial additional costs, logistical burdens, and capacity constraints to receive and care for large elephants, risking financial strain or service shortfalls.
Based on analysis of 4 sections of legislative text.
Bans U.S. zoos/safari parks from exhibiting, housing, managing, or breeding African and Asian elephants after one year and requires transfer of existing elephants to accredited sanctuaries within three years.
Introduced May 15, 2025 by Nicole Malliotakis · Last progress May 15, 2025
Prohibits U.S. zoological parks and safari parks from exhibiting, housing, managing, or breeding African and Asian elephants starting one year after the law is enacted, and requires any elephants held at enactment to be transferred to accredited, non-breeding wildlife sanctuaries within three years. Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to study transfer feasibility, may create a grant program to help sanctuaries accept elephants, and requires public education materials about elephant welfare benefits from the ban.