End of an era for Ringling Brothers circus elephants
The greatest show on earth is letting go of its biggest performers. Eleven Asian elephants, performed their last head stands and took their final bows for the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, May 1, 2016, ending a 200-year spectacle that has enthralled fans and enraged animal activists for years.
The elephants will retire to a 200-acre conservation center in Florida run by the owner of Ringling Bros. More than a dozen circuses still tour with elephants, but none as widely, or with as much fanfare, as Ringling Brothers.
Here, famous clown Bello Nock waves atop an elephant from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus as they emerge from the Midtown Tunnel in New York City, March 23, 2005.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Elephants parade towards Madison Square Garden in New York City on April 2, 1968, where the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus opens the same night. The elephants were part of a herd of 17 to appear at the Garden.
Elephants have been an integral facet of all circuses. The end of their use by Ringling Brothers is part of a huge shift in U.S. attitudes toward animal entertainment -- with SeaWorld phasing out its killer whale shows at its amusement parks weeks ago.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Coco the Clown places a floral Easter bonnet on Targa's head in preparation for a freight yard preview and parade in New York City on April 5, 1966 as the circus unloaded in the Bronx yards of the New Haven railroad.
Targa, a 14-year-old elephant, was said to be the largest of the animals unloaded from trains for the march downtown to Madison Square Garden for opening night show later in the day.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus artists and elephants perform during Barnum's FUNundrum in New York City on March 26, 2010.
Barnum's FUNdrum was put together to create a 200th birthday salute to Phineas Taylor Barnum (P.T. Barnum), founder of the circus. The show traveled across the country in a mile-long train, presenting some 130 performers from six continents for two years.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey elephants Bunny, Susie and Minnie line up for a hot dog bun eating contest July 2, 2010 in Coney Island, New York.
The three elephants competed against three adult males to see who could eat the most buns. The three elephants competed against three adult males to see who could eat the most buns. The elephants won, 41 dozen for the elephants and 15 dozen for the men.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey elephants Bunny, Susie and Minnie line up in front of a table full of hot dog buns July 2, 2010 in Coney Island, New York.
The three elephants competed against three adult males to see who could eat the most buns. The three elephants competed against three adult males to see who could eat the most buns. The elephants won, 41 dozen for the elephants and 15 dozen for the men.
Ringling Brothers elephants
A Ringling Brothers Circus elephant walks out of a train car as young children watch in the Bronx railroad yard in New York City, April 1, 1963.
Ringling Brothers elephants
A performer from the Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey production "BARNUM 200" sits atop an elephant in the middle of 3rd Street NW on the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol during the annual Pachyderm Parade on Capitol Hill March 22, 2011 in Washington, DC.
The year 2011 marked the 200th anniversary of the birth of circus legend P.T. Barnum.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Elephants and dancers go through their paces in opening stages of first night of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus at Madison Square Garden in New York City on March 29, 1961.
Ringling Brothers elephants
A man dressed a P.T. Barnum is lifted by an elephant July 2, 2010 in Coney Island, New York.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Asia, a 9000-lbs Asian elephant, with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey's Circus, investigates media cameras with her trunk after mailing the circus' taxes in a special box set up for her, Friday, April 15, 2005, in State College, Pennsylvania, outside the Bryce Jordan Center where the circus is performing. Standing right is Asia's handler Sacha Houke.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Actress and model Brooke Shields sits tall atop an elephant as she participates in the Galaxy of Stars Gala for the benefit of Vista Del Mare Child Care Services, during the opening of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Los Angeles, July 21, 1982.
Ringling Brothers elephants
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg appears on opening night of the Coney Island Boom A Ring! presented by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus June 18, 2009 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
The famed circus performed at the storied amusement mecca Coney Island for the first time ever through September 7.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Interest centers on an elephant act, as the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus gives a 12-act performance outdoors for patients at Bellevue Hospital in New York, April 25, 1941. More than 5,000 people attended.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Elephants and horses snarl traffic on 9th Avenue in New York City's borough of Manhattan on April 2, 1968 as they parade down the avenue headed towards Madison Square Garden and the April 2 opening of Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Elephants perform on opening night of the Coney Island Boom A Ring! presented by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus June 18, 2009 in Brooklyn, New York.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Elephants from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus parade on a beach area next to Ocean Drive on January 9, 2013 in Miami Beach.
The elephants were part of a sneak peek performance for the kick off of the opening of the circus at the American Airlines Arena on January 10-21, 2013.
Ringling Brothers elephants
The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus presents its one-hundredth edition with a troupe of elephants parading in New York City on March 6, 1970.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Elephants stand on their trunks during a Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus performance at New York City's Madison Square Garden on April 2, 2007.
Ringling Brothers elephants
An elephant from the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus is led to the 2 Penn Plaza entrance of New City.
Ringling Brothers elephants
In 1936 the G.O.P. elephant didn't perform half as well for Alfred M. Landon of Kansas as did lizzie, the circus elephant, when the former republican presidential nominee and Mrs. Landon visited the winter headquarters of the Ringling Brothers circus at Sarasota, Florida on March 12, 1938.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus clown Olex Kartukov, right, comforts Asia the elephant after her handler had to remove an entire box of matzoh from her mouth during a special feeding on April 4, 2007, at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Five elephants were fed the feast in honor of the Passover holiday.
Ringling Brothers elephants
A couple of youngsters from the elephant herd of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus display their Easter hats as they unload in New York's Mott Haven railroad yards, April 1, 1956, Easter Sunday.
Cutie, left, and Luna, led the herd to quarters at Madison Square Garden in New York City where the show opened a 40-day stand with opening night on April 4, as a benefit for the New York Police Athletic League.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus elephants, taking part in the 133rd edition of the circus, cross Eight Avenue as they walk toward the James A. Farley General Post Office to remind citizens that the April 15th tax deadline is approaching April 7, 2004 in New York City.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Joey Frisco gives elephants a bath outside of a tent where they are housed during a media preview of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus Jan. 9, 2015 in Miami.
Ringling Brothers elephants
Eleven Asian elephants and seven horses (not seen) walk past the Staples Center during the traditional Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus Animal Walk from the circus train on July 7, 2009 in Los Angeles.
Wherever the Ringling Bros. circus performs, the elephants and other animals must walk from the train to the performance arena. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus is arriving for their 2009 month-long southern California engagement.