The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has announced they are phasing out their elephant acts , and will eliminate them in 2018 . The decision was largely based on the fact that many cities have anti-circus and anti-elephant ordinances in addition to public outcry . The company 's 115 shows visit three cities each year , and vice president Alana Feld said it 's expensive to fight legislation in each jurisdiction . 13 animals will continue to tour with the circus before retiring to the company 's 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida . There will be a new structure built to house the retiring elephants , and the company hopes to open the conservation to the public eventually . The circus will still continue to use other animals , including Mongolian camels , which they just added to their live shows this year .
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus has announced they are phasing out their elephant acts , and will eliminate them in 2018 . The decision was largely based on the fact that many cities have anti-circus and anti-elephant ordinances in addition to public outcry . The company 's three shows visit 115 cities each year , and vice president Alana Feld said it 's expensive to fight legislation in each jurisdiction . 13 animals will continue to tour with the circus before retiring to the company 's 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida . There will be a new structure built to house the retiring elephants , and the company hopes to open the conservation to the public eventually . The circus will still continue to use other animals , including Mongolian camels , which they just added to their live shows this year .