The End of the Greatest Show on Earth

The End of the Greatest Show on Earth: What it means in terms of performing animals

It's been several months since Feld Entertainment announced the end of the Greatest Show on Earth. This understandably is a momentous occasion, with one side grieving for the death of a 146 year tradition and the other side cheering for the animals that will no longer be shuttled from city to city to perform. But what does this mean in terms of the performing animals? We're going to dive in to what impacts the performing animals that have entertained people for centuries and how it has drastically changed. 

Circus elephants are always the headliners of the circus, but with the controversy circling the performing pachyderms, Ringling decided to pull out the iconic jumbos from their traveling acts, with the last circus elephant performances ending in May 2016. To Feld Entertainment's astonishment, the people that had propped up the circus' attendance like a crutch had WANTED to see the elephants. Without the charismatic animals, circus attendance plummeted and Feld made the decision to close the 146 year tradition for good. For years, the circus represented human innovation and the passion they had for their art. Not many can dedicate their lives to performing acrobatic stunts or performing with lions every day. A single mistake could cost them their ability to walk or even their lives. The circus was a big deal when it began with the merger of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's circus aiming to create "The Greatest Show on Earth". They succeeded, but all things must come to an end, even the circus. 

What does this mean in the short term? For Feld Entertainment, the company that runs Disney: Live on Ice and Monster Trucks, the circus was more of a symbol of their dedication to live entertainment. Feld still is invested in the circus business, albeit with their elephant breeding center, so don't expect them to be out of the spotlight yet. In terms of the performing animals, most of the animals will be retired with their trainers. This includes a staggering menagerie of lions, tigers, kangaroos, horses, camels, dogs, and other animals. Reports have circulated the Internet about Feld Entertainment being unable to place some of their animals which may or may not be true. Animal sanctuaries tend to be full to the brim with unwanted exotic animals, but Feld definitely has the resources to place their animals well and with the constant scrutiny, it's doubtful the company would risk exposure to another animal abuse scandal.

It's odd to think that Ringling will be gone. For years, those fighting animal rights activists have pointed at circus as the pinnacle of animal training. For zookeepers and animal trainers alike, the circus was the one place that stood as the opposition against the "onslaught" of animal rights activists. The circus was controversial, yes, but they could still practice their traditions of riding elephants, performing acrobatics on horses, and having tigers jump through hoops to the joy of children and adults alike. And now that the circus has gone, it has shown another spotlight onto the treatment of animals in captivity. If we cannot justify animals performing for us, what will be next?

For the forseeable future, animals will perform under different labels. Zoos still have the popular bird shows and animal encounters with "safe" animals like hedgehogs and parrots. Sea World continues to operate marine mammal shows under more educational terms. Smaller, family-run circuses still travel the United States. Viral videos of animals doing human-like behaviors will cycle through the Internet. Pet owners continue to train their dogs to "roll over" and "play dead" for their own amusement. And while animal care in the U.S. has come into intense scrutiny in recent years, it is incredibly interesting to see the trends in international territory in terms of performing animals. While many countries in Europe and South America have moved to control exotic animal care, Asia and Africa have become sprawling centers for the animal training craze. China in particular is looking to invest billions in marine life parks as their citizens continue to pour buckets of cash into this.

Performing animals will be around for a while. For as long as man dominates animal, there will be those who use them. But are they partners, friends, or slaves? The line has blurred substantially in that area. In my opinion, it depends on the human who cares for the animal. In the United States' turbulent political climate, it is important to remember that every individual is different. There are good animal trainers and bad animal trainers. Does this mean we should get rid of animal training? No. Animal training, like it or not, is valuable in our endeavor to understand the creatures around us and creates a communication link between man and animal. But that doesn't mean we have to use animals in our shows. I'm not personally against animal shows as long as the animal is being treated ethically. But human ethics are a tricky topic and we cannot rely solely on individuals to find it in their hearts to treat their animals well. So what do we do? Oversight and legislature designed to regulate, but not restrict how we treat our animals is a start. Who knows? Maybe one day the circus will return and ignite the joy and passion that many children felt as they saw the laughing clowns, the daring acrobats, the graceful lion tamers, or the plodding elephants. But for now, the curtain has closed on the Greatest Show on Earth.