Miyako is a female Asian elephant born in Thailand in 1973. When she was only six months old, still just a baby, she was taken from her mother and brought all by herself to Utsunomiya Zoo. For more than 50 years since, she has been forced to live totally alone, in some of the saddest, most concerning conditions we have documented.
Miyako’s outdoor enclosure is almost entirely concrete. There is little to no shade and barely enough room for her to walk more than a few steps in any direction. There is almost nothing to keep her active or interested in her surroundings, and no other elephant by her side to help fill the long, empty hours and days.
Visitors are encouraged to feed Miyako, and sadly, these brief interactions have become one of the few sources of stimulation in her daily life. To reach visitors, she must stand at the edge of the deep concrete moat surrounding her enclosure. Miyako has fallen into the moat before, and another fall could cause serious, life-threatening injury.
Much of Miyako’s time is spent inside her extremely small, dark indoor enclosure, with little natural light or comfort. The aging structure is poorly insulated, with cracks that allow cold winter air inside.
To reach food offered by visitors, Miyako must lean over the dangerous concrete moat surrounding her enclosure. Having fallen into the moat before, another fall could have serious consequences.
A Lifetime of Isolation
As part of Elephants in Japan’s latest investigation into the welfare of solitary elephants in Japan, we returned to Utsunomiya Zoo to see whether Miyako’s life had improved. Sadly, little has changed.
A small pool was added in 2022 following a public crowdfunding campaign, but it is very shallow and does not appear to allow Miyako to fully immerse herself to bathe.
During our visit, Miyako repeatedly moved and rubbed parts of her body in the same way over and over again. These are coping behaviors often seen in elephants living with long-term stress and little stimulation. Miyako appeared withdrawn and tired, and experts consulted by Elephants in Japan have also raised concerns about the health of her feet.
Elephants in Japan first brought Miyako’s story to international attention in 2017. Since then, we have continuously raised concerns about her living conditions and health directly with Utsunomiya Zoo and the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums (JAZA), while repeatedly offering our support to help improve her welfare.
More Than 50 Years Alone
Miyako was taken from her mother as an innocent baby and denied some of the most basic things an elephant needs: companionship, room to walk, and the freedom to explore her surroundings. In the more than 50 years since, the world around her has changed beyond recognition. Miyako’s world has not. She remains trapped in the same tiny grey world, all alone, day after day. No one can give Miyako those 50 years back. But we can make sure the world knows what is still happening to her and demand better for the years she has left.
