STARS of the show they may be, but circus acts featuring elephants, lions and tigers should end, the first global study of animal welfare in circuses concludes.
“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,” says lead researcher Stephen Harris of the University of Bristol, UK.
On average, circus animals were found to spend just 1 to 9 per cent of their time training, and the rest confined to cages or enclosures typically covering a quarter of the area recommended for zoos.…
