Most people think of zoos as safe heavens for animals, where problems such as difficulty finding food and avoiding predators don't exist.
Most
people
think
of
zoos
as
safe
heavens
for
animals
,
where
problems
such
as
difficulty
finding
food
and
avoiding
predators
do
n't
exist
.
Therefore, animals in zoos should live to a ripe old age.
Therefore
,
animals
in
zoos
should
live
to
a
ripe
old
age
.
But that may not be true for the largest land animals on earth.
But
that
may
not
be
true
for
the
largest
land
animals
on
earth
.
Scientists have known that elephants in zoos often suffer from poor health.
Scientists
have
known
that
elephants
in
zoos
often
suffer
from
poor
health
.
They develop diseases and they are even unable to have babies.
They
develop
diseases
and
they
are
even
unable
to
have
babies
.
To learn more about how captivity affects elephants, a team of international scientists compared the lifespans of the zoo-born elephants with the lifespans of thousands of wild elephants.
To
learn
more
about
how
captivity
affects
elephants
,
a
team
of
international
scientists
compared
the
lifespans
of
the
zoo-born
elephants
with
the
lifespans
of
thousands
of
wild
elephants
.
They also compared some Asian elephants living in zoos with some Asian elephants which work in logging camp, over almost the same time period.
They
also
compared
some
Asian
elephants
living
in
zoos
with
some
Asian
elephants
which
work
in
logging
camp
,
over
almost
the
same
time
period
.
The team found that elephants born in zoos lived an average of 16.9 years, but elephants that died of natural causes lived an average of 56 years.
The
team
found
that
elephants
born
in
zoos
lived
an
average
of
16.9
years
,
but
elephants
that
died
of
natural
causes
lived
an
average
of
56
years
.
Asian elephants followed a similar pattern.
Asian
elephants
followed
a
similar
pattern
.
In zoos, they lived 18.9 years, while those in the logging camp lived 41.7 years.
In
zoos
,
they
lived
18.9
years
,
while
those
in
the
logging
camp
lived
41.7
years
.
Scientists don't yet know why wild elephants seem to live so much better than their zoo-raised counterparts.
Scientists
do
n't
yet
know
why
wild
elephants
seem
to
live
so
much
better
than
their
zoo-raised
counterparts
.
Georgia Mason, a biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada, who led the study, thinks stress and obesity may be to blame.
Georgia
Mason
,
a
biologist
at
the
University
of
Guelph
in
Canada
,
who
led
the
study
,
thinks
stress
and
obesity
may
be
to
blame
.
Zoo elephants don't get the same kind of exercise they would in the wild.
Zoo
elephants
do
n't
get
the
same
kind
of
exercise
they
would
in
the
wild
.
Elephants' social lives are also much different in zoos than in the wild, where they live in large family groups.
Elephants
'
social
lives
are
also
much
different
in
zoos
than
in
the
wild
,
where
they
live
in
large
family
groups
.
Most people think of zoos as safe heavens for animals, where problems such as difficulty finding food and avoiding predators don't exist. Therefore, animals in zoos should live to a ripe old age.  But that may not be true for the largest land animals on earth. Scientists have known that elephants in zoos often suffer from poor health. They develop diseases and they are even unable to have babies.  To learn more about how captivity affects elephants, a team of international scientists compared the lifespans of the zoo-born elephants with the lifespans of thousands of wild elephants. They also compared some Asian elephants living in zoos with some Asian elephants which work in logging camp, over almost the same time period.  The team found that elephants born in zoos lived an average of 16.9 years, but elephants that died of natural causes lived an average of 56 years. Asian elephants followed a similar pattern. In zoos, they lived 18.9 years, while those in the logging camp lived 41.7 years.  Scientists don't yet know why wild elephants seem to live so much better than their zoo-raised counterparts. Georgia Mason, a biologist at the University of Guelph in Canada, who led the study, thinks stress and obesity may be to blame. Zoo elephants don't get the same kind of exercise they would in the wild. Elephants' social lives are also much different in zoos than in the wild, where they live in large family groups.