Calls for the relocation of three Johannesburg Zoo elephants continue to grow following a High Court ruling dismissing an application seeking their release, with the applicants now exploring further legal options.

Lammie, Ramadiba and Mopane will remain at the zoo after the court dismissed an application brought by the EMS Foundation, Animal Law Reform South Africa and Chief Stephen Fritz on October 16.

Read more: Johannesburg Zoo elephants remain captive after court ruling

The EMS Foundation’s Megan Carr said the organisation was exploring all available legal avenues and remained committed to securing a different future for the elephants. “While we never wished for the City of Johannesburg to spend additional taxpayer funds on litigation, we will never abandon the zoo’s elephants,” she said.

Carr acknowledged the importance of public access to wildlife, particularly for children from low-income communities, but argued that conservation education should not come at the expense of animal welfare.

“Our experts strongly emphasise that no child should witness an animal in obvious distress,” she said.

She added that providing food and shelter was not enough to meet the needs of elephants, which require extensive space and the ability to exercise natural choices. The foundation remains open to negotiating with the City of Johannesburg over the elephants’ retirement from the zoo, but Carr said it was prepared to take the matter to the highest court if necessary.

She also pointed to the foundation’s rehabilitation of bull elephant Duma, previously housed at the National Zoological Garden in Pretoria, as an example of an alternative approach to elephant care.

The National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA) said the ruling did not change its concerns about the welfare of elephants in captivity. “The judgment is a sad outcome for Lammie, Mopane, and Ramadiba,” said Jacques Peacock, manager of the NSPCA’s communications unit. “We believe the court decided the matter on the legal basis of the application and the availability of administrative review.”

Peacock added that the ruling does not change their position that the well-being of elephants in captivity is inherently compromised, emphasising that in any matter concerning animals, their well-being must be of paramount importance.

Also read: Tense court battle erupts over Johannesburg Zoo elephants as protesters demand freedom

The Democratic Alliance’s Gauteng MPL Leanne de Jager also called on the city and the zoo to reconsider relocation, proposing an independent assessment of a properly resourced plan that addresses each elephant’s health, safety, social relationships and long-term care.

Residents have also voiced their disappointment online. Louise Croucamp described the court outcome as ‘a total travesty of justice’, while Irma Wouters questioned whether wildlife documentaries and other educational resources could offer alternatives to keeping elephants confined for public education.

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo (JCPZ), meanwhile, welcomed the judgment and maintained that Lammie, Ramadiba and Mopane were doing well under the supervision of their caregivers and veterinary team. JCPZ has defended the zoo’s role in animal care and conservation education, saying the welfare of its animals remains central to its responsibilities.

Although the court ruling allows the elephants to remain at the zoo, the foundation’s willingness to pursue further legal action means their long-term future remains contested.

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