The world is undergoing a poaching crisis, so why is the U.S. still using elephants in Circuses?
Elephants trained to live in circuses are treated horribly to learn their tricks. They live far less than ideal lives for their species chained up and caged in terrible conditions, like most circus animals for that matter. Large mammals suffer a great deal under the training and captivity of circuses and entertainment parks- leading to the rise in movies and documentary's like Blackfish; highlighting the plight of wild Orca's trained to live and perform at SeaWorld for the entirety of their lives (50 - 60 years lifespan in the wild- 23 years average in captivity at SeaWorld). The major difference is the world is undergoing an ivory poaching crisis unlike any before, already wiping out the Northern Sumatran Rhino and dwindling the population of African Elephants, which are now listed as an endangered species. Direct descendants of our ancestors, the Wooly Mammoth, we now face the possibility of the end of their ancient lineage at the hands of humanity.
These are not sanctuary situations. In many cases, when animals face a major threatened existence, they enter the animal sanctuary where they are taken care of by humans and looked upon to encourage and promote ideal breeding situations. Even zoos have been ideal for breeding endangered and threatened species back to sustainable levels in the wild in certain situations. Costa Rica, Romania, Italy, Mexico, and tons of other countries are paving the way toward the end of animal entertainment by banning the use of animals in circuses, where many isolated incidents have lead to mauling's and animal attacks due to the violence, and isolation animals undergo while living in enclosures. Many of these countries are also shutting down Zoo's and paving the way for animal rights, marking an end to wild animals' confinement for human entertainment purposes.
Elephants are one of the most compassionate animals in the world. They are known to cry, form deep emotional attachments, and even mourn their dead. They are among the most highly intelligent species aside from humans and can recognize faces, understand and perceive emotion, and are known for being exceedingly kind and gentle and exhibit personalities. As humans, we need to develop more technology to protect these giants in the wild, pave the way for stricter safety and encourage respect for their continued existence through tougher ivory bans, protection, and a ban on the use of elephants in human entertainment all over the world. The U.S. needs to do better.
Below, you can sign a petition to END the use and suffering of wild animals in traveling circuses.
Visit: https://www.thepetitionsite.com/372/917/893/congress-end-the-suffering-of-wild-animals-in-traveling-circuses-for-good/