This year is the last chance for circus-goers to get to see some famous elephants. Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus is retiring its working elephants in a few short months.
Magdalena Doris caught up with a few of them on their farewell tour.
--REPORTER PKG-AS FOLLOWS--
(Nat Sound)
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE EXCITEMENT OF THE CIRCUS. ALL THE SIGHTS, AND PERFORMERS IT BRINGS.
(Braden Nunez/Saw Circus)
"Lions and tigers and elephants."
BUT IN A FEW MONTHS, CROSS ELEPHANTS OFF THAT LIST.
THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH IS CLOSING THE CURTAIN ON ITS BIGGEST PERFORMERS..
I CAUGHT UP WITH THE GALS AND SOME CHARACTERS DURING BRUNCH...
(Clown)
"They use their trunk and they pick it up"
RINGLING BROTHERS AND BARNUM AND BAILEY CIRCUS DECIDED TO RETIRE THE LAST 11 WORKING ASIAN ELEPHANTS TWO YEARS EARLY!
IN MAY, THEY'LL BE MOVED TO A 200 ACRE CONSERVATION IN FLORIDA...
(Magdalena Doris/Reporting)
"When the elephants make their final stop on their last tour, representatives tell us they won't be finished with work on the preservation. They'll be doing research."
(Stephen Payne/VP Communications, Feld Entertainment)
"Elephants rarely get cancer. We're working with Dr Shipman to see if we might be able to find novel new treatments for cancer for kids and perhaps for every one"
BUT ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS SAY MEDICAL RESEARCH IS NO WAY FOR THE ENDANGERED ANIMALS TO LIVE-
(Julie Cappiello/Campaign Organizer, NYCLASS)
"The problem with the testing is that they're not free to live their lives as elephants"
PARENTS I SPOKE TO SAY THEY WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE ELEPHANTS-
(Rigoberto Nunez/Parent)
"But at the same time I grew up with them. I grew up going to the Ringling Barnum and Bailey Circus since I was a kid with my parents so it's a little bit of nostalgia."
Instructional Links
Magazine Article: Junior Scholastic, Ban Circus Animals? October 5, 2009 http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=mih&AN=51153235&site=src_ic-live&authtype=cookie,ip,custuid&custid=infohio
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Website: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation https://www.ringlingelephantcenter.com