To want to see the return of elephants to The Great British circus?

[salsmum]

When I was younger I loved to see the animals in the circus, my favourite being the Elephants. My son has worked for a Circus and we went along to see The Great British Circus and we got chatting to one of the Lion tamers who spoke with great love and compassion about his lions but said its a shame that he cannot work with them in U.K. because of the Animals rights activists who pickett the circuses. 3 of his family dogs were poisoned by some of the picketts and he was almost crying when he said how much he missed them [the dogs].
I love animals and I know there are some bad circuses out there but really know that these workers look after their animals and just wondered if MNs would still go to a circus if the Elephants return just to see these beautiful animals?

This is stark raving bonkers. Sorry OP, but it is.

Poor shark. They should release it immediately or be forced to do so.

i felt sorry for the elephants at the zoo today - actually most of the animals

they're getting hunted in their own countries aren't they though?

i don't know

African elephants and Asian elephants are two completely different species. Asian elephants yes have worked beside humans in their native environments and to some extent have been 'domesticated'. African elephants have never been used for any kind of 'work' and never could be as they are too 'wild'.

Yes as Southeastastra mentions, many African elephants are still being poached for their ivory, though there is a huge movement to prevent this from happening and there are conservation programmes to translocate elephants back into the areas from where they have been poached.

Circuses these days are very rigerously checked by vets,RSPCA officers AND more often than not, the Local Authority grounds they are visiting. The animal pens have to be of a certain size BY LAW and they have v frequent breaks on journey for food,water,exercise etc,,, The living quaters are open to the public after each show and the trainers are very experienced in the husbandry of 'their animals'. Lion tamers etc are often people who have worked with circus's/animals for many years. If you beat/ill-treat a wild animal I'm sure this would make it fear aggressive...thus unpredictable and dangerous.Could we not argue that aquariums are cruel if the animals were paying to see should live in a vast ocean?.
Christina I find your remarks very personal and feking rude TBH I cannot afford to visit Africa and have NEVER been to Lanzarote THANK YOU nor am I the 'lowest of the low'. If you are so feking OTT in your judging of people you do not know I'm really pleased NOT to be your friend I have enough good friends THANK YOU . By the way I actually have always had rescue dogs and DO NOT beat them every day. I asked for MNs opinion but did'nt expect to be personally attacked .

I think YABU.

Wild animals do not belong in circuses. They do not belong in small cages being transported between loctions every week.

I am not against modern UK style zoos such as London Zoo, where enclosures are much larger and habitats ar carefully considered.

But a life on the road is IMO no place for a wild animal.

I also have no problem with Sea World in Florida. I believe they have worked closely to get things right for the animals and have many rehabilitation progrmmes, etc. as many modern zoos and safari places do.

oh salsmum, come on. Elephants? In a circus?

No

I was though under the impression that Sea World works very closely with a whole big programme regarding animal welfare and rehabilitation. I think part of the ticket rice goes towards such programmes also. I think it does a lot of work with endangered marine animals also such as manatees.

No zoo or sea life centre, etc. is ideal I agree.

They have been used as beasts of burden by man for thousands of years, along with camels and horses and still are in many countries. For this reason they are maybe better adapted to captivity than lions and tigers for instance. I doubt their needs can be fully met in a circus though.

Everyone knows their needs cannot be met in a freakin circus

NO to circuses - animals are not for our entertainment, full stop. Also a great big NO to zoos as well. The zoo argument used to be that they were for children to learn about wild animals that they would never see otherwise - not in this day and age - they can see it on television, ie filmed animals, in their correct environment, not stupefied, damaged, mentally ill animals in zoos. Forget the breeding argument - zoos just use this in order to justify charging extortionate prices so we can gawk at these poor bloody animals trying to procreate.

YABVVVU. end of!

YABU. Elephants do not belong in a circus. They can't be look after properly .

I have never been to Africa and am very unlikely to be able to visit anywhere that elephants or lions etc are in their natural habitat. Oh well.

I have a tv and I can see them on that. I dont need to have them carted and crated for my enjoyment or education. How can anyone imagine that they are happy performing in a circus?

BTW when that tiger tried to eat one of Sigfried and Roy, I LAUGHED.

But I dont know what is wrong with riding hoses (that IS the plural of hos isnt it?)

I wonder if this has anything to do with the OP's post

Wow. I really thought it was illegal. I'm really shocked. Although more at the fact that they have tigers already, not so much the addition of Elephants. I thought that that sort of circus had died out years ago. I'd only ever go and see a circus with human performers, of which there are some fantastic ones.