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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is ending its elephant acts a year and a half early and will retire all of its touring elephants in May.
The move comes amid increasing scrutiny of circus elephant acts, with local governments passing “anti-circus” and “anti-elephant” ordinances in response to concerns over animal cruelty.
The circus’ parent company, Feld Entertainment, told The Associated Press that all of the elephants will be retired permanently to the company’s 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation, between Orlando and Tampa, Fla.
The company announced in March that it would retire the full herd to the center by 2018. Eleven elephants are on tour with the circus.
