Should Animals Have Human Rights? Hawai‘i Court To Decide (opens original article in a new tab)

Hawai‘i Supreme Court will determine if elephants at Honolulu Zoo have legal rights to freedom, with a lawsuit arguing they should be relocated to a sanctuary due to inadequate living conditions.

• Hawai‘i Supreme Court to decide if elephants at Honolulu Zoo have legal rights to freedom
• Elephants Mari and Vaigai have lived in 1.5-acre enclosure for over 30 years, with lawsuit seeking relocation to sanctuary
• Legal battle argues elephants should have constitutional rights, citing their intelligence and suffering in captivity
• Zoo claims commitment to animal care and exhibit improvements, but critics say conditions are inadequate and stressful for elephants