How many elephants does Cheyenne Mountain Zoo have? Colorado court rules animals cannot be released following welfare case

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs is home to five African elephants named Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo. These elephants are now the subjects of a controversial legal bid by the Nonhuman Rights Project (NhRP).

The group sued, arguing the elephants needed to be independently freed and transferred to a sanctuary, claiming their lives at the zoo constituted unlawful imprisonment. Reports suggest that all five elephants were born in the wild in Africa.

(Post via X/@NonhumanRights)

The Colorado Supreme Court recently ruled against this effort, determining that nonhuman animals do not have the same legal rights as humans under state law.

The legal tussle started in late 2023 when the NhRP sued the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, using the legal doctrine of habeas corpus on behalf of the elephants. Habeas corpus is traditionally imposed to prevent unlawful detainment.

In this unprecedented case, the NhRP claimed elephants as complex social and cognitive beings and that they should be recognized as legal persons with a right to liberty. The group wanted the elephants relocated to one of two accredited elephant sanctuaries in the United States.

The El Paso County District Court dismissed the case in June 2024, ruling that habeas corpus does not apply to nonhuman animals, as they are not persons under state or federal law. The NhRP appealed this decision all the way up to the Colorado Supreme Court, which unanimously upheld the lower court’s ruling on January 16, 2025. The Court said:

"No matter how cognitively, psychologically, or socially sophisticated they may be, non-human animals cannot apply for habeas under Colorado’s statute."

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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and the NhRP react to the Colorado court’s decision

The court’s ruling has received mixed reactions. According to a statement from the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, leaders there welcomed the ruling and added that they are committed to the welfare of the elephants.

The Colorado-based zoo contended that sending the elephants to a sanctuary to live out the rest of their lives would be detrimental because of their old age and inexperience with larger herds (Fox News).

The zoo also pointed to its accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and said that it had raised more than $1 million through admissions that had gone toward elephant conservation efforts.

(Post via X/@CheyenneMtnZoo)

The ruling was criticized by the NhRP, which called it an injustice. The group again went on to argue how the decision denies freedom to highly intelligent and emotionally nuanced beings who are suffering as a result of captivity.

For the time being, Missy, Kimba, Lucky, LouLou, and Jambo will stay at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, where their care is subject to current legal requirements for zoos and other public displays.