Are Wild Animals Suited to a Traveling Circus Life?

According to these findings, circus animals spend an average of 1-9% of their time training and the rest of their time is spent confined to cages, wagons, or other enclosures that are typically only one quarter of the area recommended for the same animals residing in a zoo. The animals most negatively affected by the limitation of space are elephants, lions, tigers, and bears.

Circus animals also suffer from stress induced by travel. The presence of the hormone cortisol in the saliva of circus animals is at abnormal levels for up to six days after transport, and may in fact be present for up to twelve days in tigers who have not previously traveled.

Circus travel is rigorous. In examining the circus itineraries of 153 European and North American circuses, troupes stayed at a single location on average of one week, with almost 300 kilometers between locations. At the destination, animals are kept in conditions dramatically different from their natural habitat. Elephants can be shackled for 12 to 23 hours per day in areas of only 7-12 square meters. In contrast, elephants in the wild spend 40-75% of their time feeding and move up to 50 kilometers per day.