Circus captivity is beastly for wild animals
2009-05-20
Andy Coglan, New Scientist
Stars of the show they may be, but elephants, lions and tigers are the wild
animals least suited to life in a circus, concludes the first global study of
animal welfare in circuses.
"It's no one single factor," says Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol,
UK, and lead researcher of the study. "Whether it's lack of space and exercise,
or lack of social contact, all factors combined show it's a poor quality of life
compared with the wild," he says.
The survey concludes that on average, wild animals spend just 1 to 9 per cent of
their time training, and the rest confined to cages, wagons or enclosures
typically covering a quarter the area recommended for zoos.
Worst affected are elephants, lions, tigers and bears. Often they're confined to
cages where they pace up and down for hours on end.
"Even if they are in a larger, circus pen, there's no enrichment such as logs to
play with, in case they use them to break the fence and escape," says Harris.
Travel sick
Travel also takes its toll, although the evidence is limited. The study cites
data showing that concentrations of the stress hormone cortisol in saliva from
circus tigers remains abnormal up to 6 days after transport, and up to 12 days
in tigers who've never travelled before.
The itineries can be gruelling too. When Harris and his colleagues analysed 153
European and North American circus trips, troupes only stayed at each single
location for an average of a week before moving on, with an average of almost
300 kilometres between locations.
Even when they reach their destinations, the animals are often kept in
conditions drastically different from their natural habitat. Elephants can be
shackled for 12 to 23 hours per day when not performing, in areas from just 7 to
12 square metres. Often, they could only move as far as the chain would let
them, just 1 to 2 metres.
In the wild, elephants spend 40 to 75 per cent of their time feeding, and cover
up to 50 kilometres in a day.
Evidence also shows that circus elephants, lions, tigers, bears and even
parrots, adopt repetitive abnormal movements and pacing, called sterotypies.
Also, the animals suffer ill-health both from confinement and from the tricks
they learn to perform. Elephants, for example, become obese through inactivity
and develop rheumatoid disorders and lameness as a result, as well as joint and
hernia problems through having to adopt unnatural positions during performance.
Unnatural behaviour
"There is no evidence to suggest that the natural needs of non-domesticated
animals can be met through the living conditions and husbandry offered by
circuses," concludes the study. "Neither natural environment nor much natural
behaviour can be recreated in circuses."
Although their conditions are not ideal, the species best suited to circus life
include animals domesticated generations ago, such as dogs and horses. Horses,
for example, have long adapted to travel between racecourses.
The same is not true, however, of the most glamorous wild animals. "It fits in
with what you would intuitively imagine, that given the extensive transport, the
sterile environment and the cramped conditions, you get welfare problems," says
Rob Atkinson, head of the wildlife department at the UK Royal Society for the
Protection of Animals.
The study notes that some countries such as Austria have already banned wild
animals from circuses, but they still feature prominently in major circuses of
the US and Europe. Elephants disappeared from UK circuses for 10 years, but
three have been on display since February at the Great British Circus.
Journal reference: Animal Welfare, vol 18, p 129
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