We, the undersigned, are calling for an end to the mistreatment of Asha, an African elephant held captive at Natural Bridge Zoo in Natural Bridge, Virginia. Asha has been subjected to a lifetime of neglect, suffering, and abuse at the hands of her captors, and it is time for her to be given the chance to live out her remaining years in peace and dignity.

For the past seven years, Natural Bridge Zoo has been named one of the 10 Worst Zoos for Elephants by a leading animal welfare organization. In the past seven years, little had changed for 38-year-old Asha, who has spent 33 of her 36 years held in social isolation since arriving at the zoo. Asha is held in a small, barren enclosure during the winters, essentially in storage. During the summers, she is forced to give rides to thousands of people each year, all while under the constant threat of the bullhook.

A glimmer of hope emerged in 2020 when a bill was proposed in the Virginia state legislature that aimed to prohibit public contact with “dangerous” captive animals. The bill included elephants within its purview and would have banned elephant riding throughout the state. However, Karl Mogensen, owner of Natural Bridge Zoo, lobbied along with other groups to exclude elephants from the bill. During a hearing, Mogensen provided testimony where he sexualized Asha, referring to her as a “centerfold for elephant Playboy.” Ultimately, elephants were excluded from the bill, leaving Asha and the public unprotected to this day.

Legislators didn’t get the whole story about how dangerous captive elephants can be. While elephants can be gentle, peaceful beings, the conditions of captivity can drive them to aggression, and unfortunately captive elephant attacks are quite common. Asha has attacked her handler, and attacked and killed another elephant in 1996 — facts which clearly demonstrate that elephants should be considered dangerous and that activities such as encouraging humans to ride on their backs can prove dangerous or even lethal. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums mandates protected contact — a barrier between elephants and humans, and in 2002 removed a provision from its accreditation standards of care that allowed for elephant riding; Natural Bridge Zoo abides by neither. Natural Bridge Zoo is not AZA-accredited, and will never be if it continues to treat Asha as poorly as it does.

Asha has been failed by her captors and by Virginia legislators. She deserves to be given a chance to live out her remaining years in a sanctuary where she will be treated with the respect and dignity she deserves. We call on Natural Bridge Zoo to release Asha to an accredited sanctuary where she can finally be given the chance to live a life free from abuse and neglect. We also call on the Virginia state legislature to take action to protect captive elephants and prohibit public contact with these magnificent animals. It is time to end the mistreatment of Asha and all captive elephants. Sign this petition now to show your support for Asha and for the rights of all animals to live free from abuse and neglect.