CHER Act of 2024

(1) Elephants live in a matriarchal hierarchy where a lead female leads a large herd in the wild and migrates, traveling hundreds of miles every year. African and Asian elephants have been demonstrated to possess, amongst other things, intentional communication, and learning, memory, and categorization abilities. An Emory University experiment showed that a female elephant seemed to recognize herself in a mirror, a result attributed to self-awareness only seen otherwise in humans, dolphins, and chimpanzees.

(2) Captivity does not provide for the needs of normal elephant behavior and reproduction. As a result, captive elephants suffer both physical and emotional trauma including hernias, arthritis, mental degradation, and high calf mortality. The average lifespan of a captive elephant is 17 years; in the wild, elephants can live for 50 years or more.

(3) It is estimated that the cost of caring for an elephant in captivity can be up to $100,000 per year. In 2004, the Detroit Zoo became the first major American zoo to shut down its elephant exhibit on ethical grounds. In 2006, the Bronx Zoo announced that it would close its exhibit once its three elephants died. Since the early 1990s, more than 22 zoos had shut down their elephant exhibits or announced that they were phasing them out, including those in Seattle, San Francisco, and Chicago.

(4) The United Kingdom phased out all circuses featuring wild animal performances by 2020 and announced its intention to ban the captivity of elephants in zoos and safari parks. Dozens of other countries around the world have similar prohibitions, including Austria, Greece, Israel, Mexico, Peru, and Singapore. India bans the keeping of elephants in circuses and zoos.

(1) To ban the display, husbandry, and breeding of African elephants in zoological parks in the United States and transfer existing African elephants in such parks to authorized sanctuaries.

(2) To ban the display, husbandry, and breeding of Asian elephants in zoological parks in the United States and transfer existing Asian elephants in such parks to authorized sanctuaries.

(a) Section 4223 of the African Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4201–4246) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(6) to house and/or manage African elephants in zoological and safari parks. All African elephants residing in zoological and safari parks before the enactment of this amendment shall be transferred to authorized wildlife sanctuaries.

(b) Section 4262 of the Asian Elephant Conservation Act (16 U.S.C. 4261–4266) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(4) To assist in the conservation of Asian elephants by prohibiting zoological and safari parks from housing and managing Asian elephants and transferring any rhinoceros species residing in zoological and safari parks before the enactment of this amendment to authorized wildlife sanctuaries.