The Ringling Bros. Elephants’ Early Retirement Plans May Spark Some Human Envy

Familiarly billed as the “Greatest Show on Earth”, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey is scheduled to descend on Austin this August for five days starting Aug. 19.

The company had originally planned to phase out the elephant show by 2018, but the date was pushed up and the animals will be to be moved to Florida sooner than anticipated.

The circuses have faced accusations of maltreatment and unsuitable living conditions for the elephants for over a decade.

With this batch of retirees, CEC will house a herd of 42 Asian elephants.

Ringling Bros. has been under criticism from a host of animal welfare groups for the way it captures, breeds, and trains elephants.

The Humane Society’s president, Wayne Pacelle, praised it on his blog as “a second wave of good news” from Ringling.

Stephen Payne, a spokesman for Feld Entertainment, said the decision was driven by economics, not complaints, as more cities placed restrictions on housing, restraining and transporting the animals.

Elephant acts have been showcased by Ringling for more than a century and have often been featured on its posters.

Last year, PETA described the circus’ treatment of the giant mammals as cruel and called for the elephants’ early retirement.

For years, the animals were part of a Big Apple tradition that occurred outside the big tent.

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus has been performing with elephants since it purchased Jumbo, the world’s largest elephant, in 1882. CEO Kenneth Feld told me last spring, “It’s not like moving a bowl of goldfish”.

In both Oakland and Los Angeles, the city has barred the use of bullhooks by elephant trainers. The new venture would mean that Disney would have full control of the shows, as well as Ringling Brothers.

“All of the resources used to fight these things can be put towards the elephants”, said Feld in March.

Be free, elephants. Florida is nice this time of year. Numerous animals at the center now help with the reproductive health of the Asian elephant, which has been endangered since 1986 due to destruction of habitat and poaching.