Ringling Brothers to Retire Elephants From Circus Following Animal Rights Protests
Following calls from animal rights activists to end its use of elephants in performance, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey have discontinued the animals in all forthcoming circus shows. The move signals a final curtain to the circus' 145-year history of incorporating the giant mammals in productions throughout the United States.
Entertainment Weekly reports that remaining elephants used by the circus gave their final performance on Sunday night (May 1) in Providence, Rhode Island. Ringlin Bros. elephants will now be given a new home at the circus' elephant refuge in central Florida. "In total, there will be 40 elephants," at the facility, "representing the largest Asian elephant herd in the Western Hemisphere," the company said in a statement Monday.
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