A judge in the US has denied a petition by an animal rights group to grant personhood to three elephants in a travelling petting zoo, calling the request "wholly frivolous".

The Nonhuman Rights Project sued in November on behalf of elephants at Commerford Zoo, based in Goshen, Connecticut.

The group wanted the elephants released to a natural habitat sanctuary.

It said elephants "have a sense of self, remember the past and plan for the future, engage in complex communication, show empathy, and mourn their dead".

The judge said in his decision that the group had no legal standing to bring the petition and there was no precedent.

The Nonhuman Rights Project said it is reviewing the decision.

The zoo said it properly cares for its animals.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.