March 8, 201511 yr http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2015/03/05/ringling-brothers-elephants/24423553/ It's the end of an era for the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus' fabled elephant acts. Calling the decision "unprecedented,'' the circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment, announced Thursday that it will phase out the performances by 2018. Members of the public have voiced concerns about how elephants and other animals are treated in circus acts. The 13 elephants that are now part of the Ringling Bros. shows will be sent to the circus' Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida by 2018, joining more than 40 others. In a statement, Kenneth Feld, Chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, said: "This is the most significant change we have made since we founded the Ringling Bros. Center for Elephant Conservation in 1995. When we did so, we knew we would play a critical role in saving the endangered Asian elephants for future generations, given how few Asian elephants are left in the wild. ...This decision was not easy, but it is in the best interest of our company, our elephants and our customers." Other animals, however, will still be seen under the big top. The 145-year-old circus says that it will continue to showcase, horses, dogs, tigers and other animals in its performances. As a HUGE fan of Elephants I applaud this move...wish it had been sooner.
March 8, 201511 yr I understand why but it won't be the same without them. King Tusk was a big deal to me when I was little.
March 8, 201511 yr More giving in to bleeding hearts. Somehow circus elephants have survived this long. With some oversight I see no reason why they couldn't have gone on for another eon. What next????
March 8, 201511 yr These aren't monkeys who may be easy to train and may enjoy performing. No animal deserves to suffer, and for our entertainment? Obviously RB didn't feel that any oversight would prevent the torture.
March 8, 201511 yr More giving in to bleeding hearts. Somehow circus elephants have survived this long. With some oversight I see no reason why they couldn't have gone on for another eon. What next???? I don't think it's giving in to bleeding hearts...I think it's giving in to treating an animal humanely. Captive elephants, and particularly performing elephants have notably shorter lives than elephants in the wild (although with ivory poaching as it is, there is certainly some debate over how safe they are even in the wild). They live their lives in train cars with chains around their legs - a necessary evil of traveling from city to city with a circus - and circus elephants have been regularly euthanized once arthritis sets into their hips and knees as a result of being penned up and unable to move around freely as they should be. The training they undergo to do things like balance on two legs on a barrel or sit on a stool is all done with a bullhook...a tool that essentially looks like a fire poker that is designed to inflict pain on the elephant when it isn't doing what it's trainer wants it to. (LINK) Don't get my wrong, when I went to the circus as a kid, watching the elephants in amazement was one of the most memorable parts of the experience, but knowing now what all goes into it...I'm decidedly supportive of this move by Ringling Brothers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SGPSNPNZSQg
March 8, 201511 yr Author More giving in to bleeding hearts. Somehow circus elephants have survived this long. With some oversight I see no reason why they couldn't have gone on for another eon. What next???? Animals have always been mistreated in circuses, it's just now there are videos and photos showing that abuse. I'm no bleeding heart and certainly no fan or PETA, but I can't stand the kind of abuse these Awesome Animals endure in circuses. What's next? Maybe shutting down circuses...Elephants aren't the only animals being abused in the circus.
March 9, 201511 yr If there out of the circus, they should be out of zoos as well. Its all exploration of animals for money. There no difference between the two.
March 9, 201511 yr Not disagreeing that the animals need not be abused. I used the term "with oversight."
March 9, 201511 yr Author If there out of the circus, they should be out of zoos as well. Its all exploration of animals for money. There no difference between the two. The difference in "Some" cases is how they are treated. In "most" cases they are treated much better in Zoos.
March 9, 201511 yr The difference in "Some" cases is how they are treated. In "most" cases they are treated much better in Zoos. How the are they difference, both are contained in confined areas for the exploration of peoples money.
March 9, 201511 yr Author How the are they difference, both are contained in confined areas for the exploration of peoples money. I don't know about exploring peoples money :lol2: (just messing with you, figure spell check got you) but in every Zoo that I've been to the Elephants have been in very large areas. Plus they aren't poked, prodded, hooked, shocked and chained to perform tricks. They pretty much just walk around eat and mate. Even though a zoo isn't perfect it is magnitudes better than life in a circus for elephants.
March 9, 201511 yr How the are they difference, both are contained in confined areas for the exploration of peoples money. You can't understand the difference between being in an open zoo habitat and being locked up in a train car traveling with your legs chained together? And what is this exploration of money you speak of? Is that what John Stewart was doing in his Half Baked cameo? Red team go! Red team Go!!!
March 9, 201511 yr Not disagreeing that the animals need not be abused. I used the term "with oversight." You can't train elephants like you can a dog. The only way to get them to do these tricks is to abuse them. If you want elephants in the circus you are okay with the training methods. It is as simple as that.
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