After almost 150 years, the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey elephants took their final bow Sunday night in Providence, Rhode Island. Last year, the iconic circus announced that they will be phasing out the elephant act by 2018, however they decided that it was best for them to have an early retirement. Eleven Asian elephants will be going to where everyone retires — Florida.
The elephants will live out the rest of their lives on a 200-acre preserve called the Center For Elephant Conservation where they will take part in innovative cancer research and maybe play some golf and Mahjong. Kenneth Feld, the chairman of Ringling Bros. parent company, Feld Entertainment, spoke with CBS News:
“It is a bittersweet decision, there is no question about that, but it is the best thing. And we felt this was the right time to do it.”
This is a triumphant victory for animal-rights activists who have been trying to stop Ringling Bros. and their elephant act for decades. Countless lawsuits, videos of elephants being abused, and even the tragic deaths of some performers have finally taken their toll. However, the circus will still utilize other animals for acts. Ringling Bros. isn’t the only entertainment company that is taking strides to prevent more bad press. SeaWorld announced this year that they will stop breeding killer whales and will end orca shows by the end of the decade due in part to the controversial documentary Blackfish.
(Via CBS News and Associated Press)
