The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( NSPCA) says it will be seeking legal advice to reverse the Johannesburg Zoo‘s decision to bring in two elephants from the Eastern Cape into the facility.

The previously free roaming elephants were introduced to their new habitat on Thursday despite the backlash from some animal rights groups.

The pair were brought in to keep the old resident Lammie, whose partner had died, company.

“We find that their decision is completely irresponsible and we will be seeking legal advice to see what steps we can take to get these elephants back in a wild environment. Elephants do not cope well in captivity. There’s no captive environment that can replicate the wild at all. These elephants are going to suffer for a good number of years,” says NSPCA Spokesperson, Meg Wilson.