These old circus performers getting a new life at the ultimate Florida retirement home
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Thirty former circus elephants, whose act Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey retired in 2016, will be soon living large in new, plush digs.
The Asian elephants are being moved from the Feld Entertainment Center for Elephant Conservation nonprofit in Polk City to a more spacious community about 150 miles north, near Jacksonville.
The White Oak Conservation, in Nassau County, spans a whopping 2,500 acres. Their former home covered only about 200 acres. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) had long criticized Feld Entertainment, accusing the company of poorly treating its elephants.
The White Oak refuge includes 11 watering holes, a forest, and three barns for shelter.
The habitat’s Facebook page made the announcement Wednesday about the herd’s big move, taking place early next year.
“The spacious habitats will give the elephants room to wander, exercise, and forage. White Oak’s philosophy is to accommodate natural behavior and social bonds as closely as possible,” the post says. “There will be nine interlinked areas opened for the elephants. The area will include a variety of vegetation and habitat types for the elephants to choose from, including wetlands, meadows, and woods.”
Michelle Gadd, chief of conservation for the nonprofit, told the Orlando Sentinel that the animals deserved a “nice, peaceful” place to live out their golden years.
“We feel our place in Northeast Florida, while it’s not wild Asia, it’s as close as we can come here in the States,” he said. “So we feel these animals have just been loved by Americans for generations, and they’ve worked hard over the years and we’re happy to give them this next stage of their lives outdoors.”
This story was originally published September 25, 2020 at 12:50 PM.
