Circus to move elephants to nature center

    Asian elephants from traveling circus units will move in May to the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation in central Florida, according to a center press release. The circus, whose parent company is Feld Entertainment Inc., had planned to retire the touring elephants by 2018. But the press release said staff had completed plans to move the elephants earlier than anticipated. With the arrival of the newly retired pachyderms, the center will have 42 elephants.
    The conservation center, which covers 200 acres, is involved in a breeding program with the elephants, as well as a research project on cancer. Asian elephants have a life expectancy of 45 years, and they rarely get cancer, according to the center. Researchers investigating the low incidence of cancer among elephants are studying the conservation center’s herd.
    The World Wildlife Foundation lists Asian elephants as endangered. While smaller than African elephants, Asian elephants can reach 6.4 meters in length (about 20 feet) and 3 meters at the shoulder (approximately 10 feet). They can weigh as much as 5 tons.

    Related:

    NIH: No more chimp experiments

    Wildlife rebounding in Chernobyl area

    Panda cub’s true colors begin to show

  If you would like to comment give us a shout or like us on Facebook and tell us what you think.