According to a press release from Feld Entertainment, also owner of Ringling Bros. Circus for 50 years now, the circus is closing down. CEO Kenneth Feld said, that he has made a tough decision that Ringling Bros. Circus will hold its final show May of this year. High operating cost and the decrease of ticket sales made the circus unsustainable business for the company.
And after the transition of the elephants off the road, the declining number of ticket sales dramatically dropped even worst. Before taking the final bow the Ringling Bros., will perform 30 shows across the United States between now and May. For years elephants have been part of the show and their remarkable dance routines entertained the people.
But due to the rise of animal right criticisms the Ringling Bros. Circus stopped including the elephant shows. According to CNN, offstage, the Ringling Bros. runs an elephant conservation center which sits on 200 acres of rural land in Florida, between Tampa and Orlando. It was created in 1995 by Ringling, the facility focuses on the study and care of Asian elephants, which are endangered species. The same types of elephants were used in its shows.
The animal rights group, PETA, has spent years petitioning against the treatment of circus animals. But several animal rights groups repeatedly criticized, picketed and sued Ringling Bros. for its treatment of the animals. Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, acknowledged the move was bitter sweet for the Felds, but he said that he applaud their decision to move away from an institution grounded on inherently inhumane wild animal acts.
According to ABC 7, some displaced circus employees will be placed in positions with the company's other, profitable shows - it owns Monster Jam, Disney on Ice and Marvel Live-but most will be out of a job. However Julliette Feld said that the company will help its former employees with job placement and resumes. Ringling Bros. Circus is closing after 146 years as a response to the call of animal right groups that caused the ticket sales of the circus declined.
