The storied Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus will appear at Brooklyn\u2019s new Barclays Center for the first time this week, but not everyone is juggling for joy.<\/p>\n
Several animal-rights organizations are banding together to protest what they say is Ringling\u2019s habitual and systemic mistreatment of the exotic animals in its shows, in particular Asian elephants, which are commonly used as peformance animals. The protests will kick off with a large opening-night demonstration on Wednesday evening and continue during select circus performances through April 1.<\/p>\n
Some of the groups involved include Animal Defenders International (AD-I) and In Defense of Animals (IDA), as well local supporters of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Organizers say Ringling\u2019s history of animal abuse dates back several decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cRingling Bros. has a very long, very dark past with regard to treatment and training practices,\u201d said Erika Mansourian, a volunteer coordinator who is helping AD-I with the protests.<\/p>\n
Animal-rights activists have long condemned the use of elephants for the purposes of entertainment. Elephants are believed to be among the most intelligent species on earth, experiencing a range of complex emotions, self-awareness and even language. They are also nomadic by nature, roaming up to 50 miles a day in the wild — a fact that Mansourian said makes captivity particularly agonizing for the species. <\/p>\n