Malaika the Elephant (2025-2025)
Obituary
Simunye’s, an African elephant, pregnancy ended in a stillbirth following a previously healthy pregnancy.
The stillborn calf, named Malaika, was delivered stillborn on March 14, surrounded by her mother and other members of the herd. Malaika’s mother has been used in the Sedgwick County Zoo’s breeding program in Wichita, KS. The zoo reports that several other elephants are also expecting this year, meaning more elephants are facing birth into a life in captivity.
While Malaika’s stillbirth is tragic, so is a life in captivity. Elephants in the wild have expansive home ranges, often walking up to 40 miles a day. Yet, facilities like the Sedgwick County Zoo restrict natural movement, leaving them unable engage their natural instincts to walk and forage. This affects not only their mental health (causing stereotypical behavior and psychosis), but often leads to foot diseases.
Recently, there has been a push to send captive elephants from zoos to sanctuaries across the US, which allows them to live a more natural life with room to roam and forage away from tourist intrusions. Unlike zoos, which put profit over animals, accredited sanctuaries prioritize animal well-being over visitor experience and are held to a higher standard of care, thanks to the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS).
If you want to protect elephants while traveling and support elephant-friendly attractions, we encourage you to avoid zoos. Instead, visit and support accredited sanctuaries that do not perpetuate captivity.
