Are zoos the right place to keep elephants?

I AGREE that elephants should not be kept in zoos (Letters). No large animal should be held in captivity, with the exception of those used for breeding to aid the survival of the species. We are told that dolphins in marine parks are happy to play with toys and their keepers, but I bet they would be a lot happier with their own kind in the open ocean. Keeping lions, tigers and polar bears in small enclosures must be torture for these animals.

COLIN SHEPHERD, St Andrews, Fife. THOSE who object to elephants being kept in captivity claim these majestic creatures suffer from ailments rarely seen in the wild. I’d argue that elephants in zoos don’t get shot and have their tusks hacked out. They are not poisoned and don’t die in agony in snares. Their calves are not left to die when their mothers are poached. The very best zoos give captive elephants space and expert care. We would all like to see these intelligent, iconic creatures roam free, but until we can be confident of their safety in the wild, we need captive breeding as a back-up against extinction.

DON TOWNSHEND, Chelmsford, Essex. I AM afraid to say that elephants in the wild are not free to roam. In many parts of Africa, they are restricted to game parks. The biggest threat to these great beasts is competition for land with humans. As well as poaching, elephant overpopulation can be a major problem. Space for all types of wildlife is getting increasingly smaller globally. As the author and naturalist Gerald Durrell said: ‘I wish zoos weren’t necessary.’ With the number of humans increasing as the wild environment disappears, zoos are more important than ever. BILL NAYLOR, Wilsford, Lincs.