The news has recently said that the Ringling Brothers Circus was going to phase out its elephants from the circus. I saw this elephant act decades ago in D.C. and that event made me decide I would probably never see circus animal acts again. I could sense that the elephants were frightened. You could see it in their eyes and by other things they did. Ringling Brothers had, over the years, been receiving criticism for revealed behind the scenes harsh treatment toward these animals. As we have learned, elephants are far more intelligent and complicated than we ever assumed. In some atonement Ringling now has created a 200 acre conservation center in central Florida to retire these elephants in a phase out program. I also remember years ago another video going around showing elephants using their trunks holding paint brushes to paint rather nice paintings in some place in Asia bringing in lots of amazed tourists with their money. Behind the scenes training revealed unimaginable cruelty being inflicted to get these elephants to do something so unnatural.
As I wrote in a post before, I visited the Ringling Brothers museums during my trip down south. In the photo above is the patio that John Ringling created just outside his large and rather garish house in Sarasota, Florida, now owned and maintained by Florida State University and on the same grounds as a circus museum, an extensive art museum, a miniature circus model and other interesting venues along with a beautiful garden. That day was the warmest we saw...maybe 55F?
A large room houses a fascinating model of the three ring circus. The model took years to create and is built in 3/4 to the foot scale. Fifty-five train cars were also handcrafted and can actually be packed with all the circus figures. It is a reproduction of the Ringling Circus in the 1920's and fills a large room. This venue is very popular with all ages. I did not take pictures inside the actual building as I guess I got distracted, but you can Google "Howard Brothers Circus Model" and get an eye full and experience a bit of the big tent excitement.
Ringling Brothers Circus was an important part of Americana and while we have many more distractions and entertainments in our modern world, this little bit of nostalgia was enjoyable. (Let me know if you want to see the house or actual train.)
I want to see all. :)
ReplyDeleteFascinating stuff. I love that circus wagon too.
Back to work.......
I've been to RB several times in my life, and it is always fun. The last visit they were down to one ring. I doubt the circus will survive too many more years. I like the animal acts, but not as much as some other acts.
ReplyDeleteI have read that the Elephants were mistreated. Just as bad, or worse was the old "Freak Shows" behind the scenes at RB. The bearded lady, the fat man etc.
I agree that elephants shouldn't be enslaved for our amusement. I visited an elephant sanctuary in Thailand and saw the damage humans have inflicted on these wonderful, sentient animals.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see it all too! Looked up the minatures, fascinating, I've always loved tiny things. Not a circus fan though. Saw one when I was about 8 and it totally creeped me out but then I don't care for clowns either. The acrobats were fabulous.
ReplyDeleteGosh! I saw those elephants in Thailand painting those pictures earlier last year and was astonished. Then someone told me that the training of the animals was cruel and harsh. It was very disappointing and sad to learn.
ReplyDeleteIf the elephants were treated with kindness and trained with love and wanted to do these things because, like dogs, they have an innate desire to obey the alpha, that would be one thing. Since it's not that way, it's best to phase this out, and maybe some of the other animal acts, too.
ReplyDeleteWhen the trainers and animals are hams and having fun, great! If not, don't do it.
Sorry these beautiful creatures were mistreated, but actually taking any animals out of their natural habitat can be a cruel thing. I had a boss lady once who grew up in the circus, and she could do all sorts of acrobatics. Her parents were performers. She eventually went back to the circus to manage some accounting for them.
ReplyDeleteIt’s years since I went to a real circus but the ones I like best nowadays are the ones solely with human performers. Some of them are incredible.
ReplyDeleteI was glad to hear about RB decision to stop using elephants. They say they only did it because there was pressure from the public, but I wonder if the bottom line wasn't financial. Must cost a lot to keep elephants.
ReplyDeleteSure, let's see everything you've got!
It's been decades since I've been to the circus. I recently read a book about how polar bears are also abused for circus acts. Maybe the circus should be relegated to history ... when presumably people didn't know any better.
ReplyDeleteEven the zoos are getting rid of their elephants. These poor, wonderful creatures are being phased out everywhere, especially in their native habitat where they are constantly being poached for their ivory. Aside for sanctuaries, these amazing beasts have nowhere to be safe from the greed of man.
ReplyDeleteI have the same problem with zoos and sea world type places. Zoos are all right if they keep the animals in a pretty natural habitat. I realize they cannot be released back to the wilds, some were crippled and it's why they ended up caged. Sea world those is using intelligent mammals to do tricks and it's not natural at all. What they need to do with them is find a natural enclosure where they can have more room to swim around and let them live out their lives.
ReplyDeletePortland used to have a very natural looking habitat for their elephants. The last time I was there with the grandchildren, maybe five years ago, they were reduced to not much more than pen. It was very disappointing. I won't go back even though zoos are fun places to visit with children-- if you don't think about the animals in them.
I have a dim memory of going to the circus in the Big Top before they moved it indoors in the old Coliseum. I'm glad for the elephants that they will be allowed to retire in a preserve.
ReplyDeleteI have never been to the Ringling Museum. One of these days, I must.
ReplyDeleteI never went to a circus as a child but did take my children to a circus visiting Tulsa. It was bad enough that my daughter was afraid of clowns, but then people jumping through rings of fire set her off into fits of screaming and that was our first and last circus.
ReplyDeleteI'm so grateful they finally took elephants out of the circus… honestly I wish there were no circuses at all… I can't imagine it is a kind life for any of the animals or humans involved.
ReplyDeleteI remember being saddened by the bedraggled lions too and the ponies that kept galloping and galloping. But the elephants affected me the most.
ReplyDeleteFascinating museum.
And of course in the "good" old days we displayed humans for entertainment too.
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I remember the first time I saw wolves pacing in a cage at the zoo and got turned off from zoos in general. I still go but have very mixed feelings.
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