The Heartbreaking Final Show Of Barnum And Bailey’s Elephants As Public Outcry Leads To Early Retirement

Declining ticket sales and a rise in public demand to stop the misuse of elephants, has prompted a stop to the performing elephants after a handler who worked at Ringling’s breeding and training compound provided PETA with dozens of photos showing how elephants are “broken” for the circus. The African elephants used to entertain children in the travelling circus have been shipped to a retirement camp.

#1 The End Of Elephant Abuse

A performing elephant is loaded onto a truck following its final show for the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. The biggest attraction for nearly two century's in the United States at the circus, the final performance has come to an end, and the Asian elephants are being retired to Florida.

#2 Everyone Loves The Elephants

Elephants have long been the sentimental sweethearts of the circus. Chubby, wrinkly, and slow, they seem unthreatening and even comforting, more cuddly than wild. But we've learned that they are intelligent and sensitive, that they mourn their dead. But not any longer. Three years ago a handler at the circus training camp leaked a video showing just how the animals are abused, and the public outcry could be heard worldwide. There are only 3.400 of the Asian elephants still alive in the entire world, and over 500 are in America, mostly in zoos.

#3 Public Demands The Circus To Stop

"We're in the entertainment business. It takes away from the total enjoyment when you're getting yelled at, and your kids are getting yelled at, by these activists. Then the five-year-old kid is hysterical, and the mother feels terrible," said Ringling Brothers CEO Kenneth Feld. "We gave in and stopped fighting the issue and decided to go with history and preserve the nearly extinct animals at our ranch in Florida. There will no longer be performing elephants in America."

#4 Ringling Brothers To Retire All Elephants To Conservation

The 'ranch' Feld refers to is the Center for Elephant Conservation (CEC), a 200-acre facility in central Florida dedicated to the care and conservation of these critically endangered animals. In total, there will be 40 elephants at the CEC by year's end, representing the largest Asian elephant herd in the Western Hemisphere. The CEC is situated near Disneyworld in an unmarked area and no tourists are allowed. There will not be any viewing of the animals or ticket sales to see them perform.

#5 From Performing Daily To Resting With Family

"We share a lifetime commitment to all of our elephants," said Janie Aria, Director of Animal Stewardship at the CEC. "From the time that they're born to the time they pass away, we value them as the incredible animals that they are. The future of this species is in great hands." However, that claim is in dispute as many animal rights organizations and even the Humane Society have claimed that even at the CEC the elephants are abused, often shackled for days, and urged to stand while giving birth in cramped stalls after being artificially inseminated. The elephant has not been allowed to be transported into the United States since 1975, which is why they used some as breeders in the past to keep the act alive.

#6 The Circus 'Star' April Will Be Reunited With Mother & Father At The Conservation

Arriving at the Center for Elephant Conservation will be elephants ranging in age from 5 to 47. The youngest, April, after a year on the road, will be returning to her mother, Alana (named for the middle daughter of company owner Kenneth Feld), and to her father, Charlie, a seasoned stud whose latest mate is pregnant and due in September. April has been the star of the circus for about 12 years, but her last show in Wilkes-Barre, PA will be her finale.

#7 Now Committed To Preserving The Nearly Extinct African Species

"We share a lifetime commitment to all of our elephants," said Janie Aria, Director of Animal Stewardship at the CEC. "From the time that they're born to the time they pass away, we value them as the incredible animals that they are. The future of this species is in great hands." She states that in the past, the facility was used to house the elephants and to train and prepare them for the 'main event' performing in the travelling shows, but that is not the case any longer. She says, "We have reorganised the conservation completely. The CEC is going to be a bunch of old friends reunited; handlers with the elephants, elephants with other elephants. They will spend their days socialising, roaming the pastures of the vast facility, all while receiving the highest level of care from our animal care team. We are fully dedicated to making sure the Asian Elephant is not extinct."

#8 The Center for Elephant Conservation

PETA is still concerned over the treatment of the elephants at the so-called "conservation" and remain skeptical after fighting for their rights for over 25 years. However, this video from National Geographic shows that the area has been transformed and will only strive to enhance the lives of the elephants. You'll need to judge for yourself.

Categories

More