“Ringling Bros. Announces Elephants are 'Stepping Down'”

They are an iconic part of any circus -– eliciting excited shrieks from wide-eyed children. But now, circus-goers will have to do without elephants, as Ringling Bros. announced the early retirement of their majestic animals Monday. The elephants will travel to 13 or 14 more cities before officially “stepping down” in May. “They are going to retire like everyone does – to Florida,” said Stephen Payne, of Feld Entertainment, the company that owns the circus. The early retirement comes on the heels of legislation that makes it harder for the company to travel with the elephants. Many cities, such as Asheville, North Carolina, have recently passed laws meant to protect elephants or remove exotic animals, including elephants, from city-owned facilities. Despite the criticism the circus has received in the past, Payne says the elephants are treated humanely when they retire. The 11 elephants currently on tour will retire to the company’s 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation, located in central Florida. There, the elephants will “enjoy time in the sun and mingle with their friends,” Payne said. They will also take part in medical research, such as why cancer is much less common in elephants than it is in humans. “Our company and our family’s commitment to save the majestic Asian elephant will continue through research and conservation efforts at the Center,” said executive vice president of Feld Entertainment.

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