Does anyone remember going to the circus as a kid? Seeing wild animals perform and snacking on peanuts might seem like a dream, but for the animals, it was a nightmare. Now, we know better. Circuses have been called out for their unethical practices, and now the worst zoos are coming under fire as well.
Zoos like to make it seem that they’re all about conservation and animal welfare, but the sad reality is that many are just in it for profit. Elephants, in particular, are difficult to care for properly. They require tons of space, socialization, the right climate and plenty of other elephant amenities to help them live long, happy lives.
Using the In Defense of Animals past rankings of worst zoos for elephants combined with one-star Tripadvisor and Yelp reviews, we compiled a list of the 25 absolute worst zoos in the U.S. So, the next time you consider visiting one, maybe just watch Animal Planet instead.
Why the Los Angeles Zoo Is the Worst
The Los Angeles Zoo has had several issues over the years, but the latest is related to bull elephant abuse after one named Shaunzi died in January 2024, not even a year after another elephant had died here. Now, a high-profile campaign from activists and celebrities is set on freeing the remaining elephant, Billy, who many believe to be suffering from brain damage caused by stress.
And that’s not the only problem: Officials want to change the zoo, located in Griffith Park, into more of an amusement park for humans, which will not only do untold damage to the animals in the zoo but also those in the surrounding areas of the park.
Shockingly, the Los Angeles Zoo wants to add a hilltop structure with a vineyard above the zoo, a gondola and a rock-climbing wall that’s 60-feet high. The construction alone would stress the animals already at the zoo as well as destroy 23 acres of native woodland and 227 city-protected trees. But in August 2023, the L.A. City Council unanimously approved the environmental impact report for the planned expansion.
Why Dallas Zoo Is the Worst
Multiple zoo patrons have complained about the Dallas Zoo’s expense, lack of exhibits, and rude staff.
The Dallas Zoo has also landed on In Defense of Animals list of worst zoos for elephants multiple times. In 2016, it was one of the three zoos that received “the stolen 18,” elephants that were secretly flown out of Swaziland.
The zoos that took the animals said they would have been culled in their native country due to drought. However, just two years later, the Dallas Zoo transferred at least two of the elephants to Fresno Chaffee Zoo for breeding, and “upended these traumatized elephants’ lives once more,” according to In Defense of Animals.
And as you already know, Fresno Chaffee Zoo has made the 2022 list of the worst for zoo elephants.
Why Myrtle Beach Safari Is the Worst
Myrtle Beach Safari / Yelp
At the beginning of the 2020 pandemic, the internet was abuzz about the Netflix documentary, “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness.” This is one of the zoos mentioned in the show.
The series focused on the big cats there, but Bubbles, an African elephant, is held in isolation, too. The zoo’s owner, Bhavagan Antle, claims to have rescued Bubbles.
In reality, he trafficked her during the 1980s — solidly earning its spot on the list of worst zoos, if you can even call it a zoo at all.
