The American Elephant: The Controversy of Keeping Elephants in the United States

Created for the History & Sociology of Science (HSOC) Senior Honors Thesis, overseen by Dr. Ann Greene Instead of focusing on African and Asian elephants and how their enclosures fail to accurately simulate their wild environments, I argue that we should treat the elephants in America as if they were their own species. Elephants in the Americas have been featured in shows or confined to small enclosures, and often times, they’ve had long-lasting relationships with humans. These elephants have different needs then their wild counterparts, and should be treated as such. Key visual elements: Graphic illustrations Pro and Con lists