Last circus using elephants was on Sunday in Rhode Island.
By Sreekanth A. Nair
Sunday marked the last day for the elephants at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus as performers since Feld Entertainment, that owns both the companies, decided to put an end to the centuries-long practice of using elephants in the circus.
In the show in Providence, Rhode Island on Sunday, six Asian elephants performed their dancing and balancing acts for the final time in the ring.
“This is a very emotional time for us,” Ringmaster Johnathan Lee Iverson was quoted as saying by Associated Press.
“We love our girls. Thank you so much for so many years of joy. That’s history tonight there, ladies and gentlemen, true American icons,” he said.
Elephants have been used in the circus in America from the early 1800s onwards.
According to the AP report, Alana Feld, executive vice president of Feld Entertainment said that the elephants will live in Ringling’s 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida. The company has a herd of 40 elephants and they will be used in a pediatric cancer research study.
Most of the circus companies have stopped touring with elephants as it is very difficult and expensive. Legislations are also making it difficult for companies to use the animals. The use of bullhooks which is used to train elephants has been banned in many states and some other states are also planning to enact the same rule.
Feld Entertainment’s decision to stop the use of elephants in their circus came after a years-long protest of animal lovers and activists. On Sunday also, some activists had staged a protest outside the circus tent against the use of elephants.
Animal lovers are also demanding freedom for other animals from circus rings. They have raised their voice against the breeding programs of companies. The Humane Society has demanded an end to the breeding program of Ringling.
Ringling is planning to move their elephants to Florida conservation center by 2018. In 2011, Feld Entertainment had to pay a fine of $270,000 to the U.S. Department of Agriculture after the authorities found that the company violated the norms of the Animal Welfare Act.
Elephants have been widely used in circuses in India also. Elephant abuses in circus troops have made headlines many times in the country. Animal lovers have been protesting for putting an end to the practice and they finally won the struggle in 2013 when the Animal Welfare Board of India decided to stop the registration of elephants for performances.