Earlier this week, on World Elephant Day, World Animal Protection US released a short documentary titled Trapped at Six Flags, written, produced, and directed by Miguel Endara, Programs Manager at World Animal Protection US and narrated by actress, activist, and World Animal Protection Global Ambassador, Evanna Lynch.
Joyce, an African elephant, was taken from the wilds of Zimbabwe and brought to the United States in the 1980s after a government slaughter operation that killed most of her herd. Since arriving in the US, along with 62 other orphaned elephants, Joyce has suffered a traumatic history of forced performances, isolation, and stress, regularly sold and resold to various zoos, circuses, and other captive attractions.
Since 2010, Joyce has been held captive at the Wild Safari exhibit at Six Flags Great Adventure theme park in New Jersey. Trapped at Six Flags follows Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, Head of Animal Welfare & Research at World Animal Protection, as he visits Six Flags Wild Safari to assess Joyce’s captive conditions.
Dr. Schmidt-Burbach’s visit uncovers that Six Flags allots a small, barren area for the elephants it holds in captivity, a space Joyce is not even able to access. Instead, she is held isolated in an even smaller paddock. The total area provided for the captive elephants by Six Flags is appallingly 700,000 times smaller than what they would enjoy in their natural environment. Additionally, Dr. Schmidt-Burbach raises concerns about how the elephants are likely further harmed by their proximity to the park’s massive rollercoasters. In the cold New Jersey winter months, all of the elephants are confined to a nearby barn.
World Animal Protection has long documented the impossibility of meeting the complex physical, social, and spatial needs of elephants in a zoo setting like the Wild Safari exhibit at Six Flags. Elephants in captivity experience devastating impacts on their physical and psychological well-being, including shorter lifespans, behavioral problems, and chronic diseases.
Lindsay Oliver, Executive Director, World Animal Protection US:
“Joyce and the other elephants at Six Flags are not spectacles for human entertainment. They are sensitive, intelligent beings who deserve freedom. We’re calling on Six Flags to do the right thing and send all of the elephants to a sanctuary where they can roam through forests, play in mud puddles, and just be elephants.”
Actress, and World Animal Protection Global Ambassador, Evanna Lynch states
“When World Animal Protection US first reached out to me about Joyce, my heart broke for her. Joyce’s tragic story captures the plight of so many elephants who are taken from the wild and forced to endure lives of exploitation and misery for human entertainment. Thankfully, the ending of Joyce’s story has not yet been written. It is my hope that through this remarkable and moving documentary, more people will learn about Joyce and come to her rescue while there’s still time. It is a privilege to be a part of this important project.”
Join World Animal Protection in demanding Six Flags release Joyce and the other elephants to sanctuaries and close the elephant exhibit for good.
