Billy

•   Male Asian Elephant
•   Born: 1985
•   At L.A. Zoo since 1989
•   In solitary confinement for 31 years at L.A. Zoo

Billy was caught in the wild and forcibly taken from his native home of Malaysia. Now, Billy lives on approximately one-quarter acre at the L.A. Zoo. Wild elephants can walk up to 100 miles in a day, and there are roughly 640 acres in one mile. It is virtually impossible for Billy to get the daily exercise he needs to be both physically and psychologically healthy.

With no other elephants near him, Billy lives an unnatural, solitary life at the zoo. Male elephants are often kept separate from other elephants in zoos, but, in the wild, male elephants have been known to display social connections, reside in bachelor herds, frequent areas with female elephants, and, sometimes, move from family to family. In India, younger bulls even join with older bulls to crop raid.

Billy displays stereotypical behaviors which are repetitive movements that are often seen in captive animals, particularly those given inadequate mental stimulation. What's more, stereotypical behavior is never seen in wild animals and many experts consider it to be an indicator of poor psychological welfare, which is likely caused by restriction of movement, size of enclosure, social isolation, or lack of complexity in the physical environment.  Billy has experienced all of these factors at the L.A. Zoo. In fact, from his arrival at the L.A. Zoo in 1989 until 1994, Billy was routinely chained each night for approximately 12 to 14 hours at a time. It was during this period that a keeper reportedly physically abused Billy by using electric shock on him.

Experts state that stereotypic behavior can lead to foot problems, such as nail cracks, which Billy already has, and abscesses or abrasions to the sole of the foot. Foot-related problems are one of the leading causes of euthanasia in captive elephants in the United States.