One of my favourite all - time insults is to call someone acircus animal . Why is the term so satisfying ? firmly to say , but I would think that it involve the object of the slur is nothing short of ridiculous — like , say , an elephant wear a tiny tiara , sitting down for tea leaf . It also implies a craziness , like one might associate with a sawbuck that gallops at full speed while patiently let an acrobat do somersaults on its back . And lastly , I think that we associate circus beast with straight - up banana tree behavior like alionletting a human put their head in its jaw !
But carnival beast are more than just caricatures . From the origination of thecircus , they ’ve been touted as full - fledged performer . hearing are generally asked to see them as develop actors , and not just beast trained to do circle tricks . Some would argue that behind the scenes they ’re treated far defective than a favourite . In that spirit , we ’ve compiled a lean of circus animal facts that give us some insight into the history of their employment and admit that the circus has — at times — take advantage of its whiz .
10: Circus Animals Started in Greek theatre
The circus creature custom probably started whenever humans cypher out that a andiron could sit down on command or a monkey looked funny riding a bicycle . ( The former probably happened first , but only account knows for sure . ) We do at least have a record of the Greeks and Romans make a heroic erstwhile time watching creature perform for them [ source : Speaight ] . Many of us think the " genus Circus " initiate atCircus Maximus — the huge amphitheater of Rome — but it ’s significant to remember that beast were largely used there for gladiatorial ritual killing , not performance . Not precisely friendly menu for us modern families .
By the time we arrive in the Middle Ages and Renaissance , performing animals were quite democratic and — a footling unlike the circus today — the animals were used as tools for propaganda , as well . One historic act had an ape that jumped for the King of England but sit stock still when someone claim the same command was from the Pope [ source : Speaight ] . And while chimpanzee or apes show popular , it was two other beast that feed us a favourite circus nickname .
9: The Dog and Pony Show
We largely assort thecircuswith our more exotic brute friends : Elephants , tiger and even performing bears are what bring the crowds in . But you might be surprised to find out that our circus precursors — the Medieval or Renaissance fairs and carnival that the circus slowly swallowed up by the 18th and 19th hundred — really often were click and trot show , where the well available ( and trainable ) animal were taught to do tricks [ author : Speaight ] .
But here ’s the thing : thedogand pony show did n’t die when Big Circus showed up . In fact , these small " genus Circus " in reality became a heavy fashion for pretty disreputable folks to cash in on the lure of the Big Top without having much of an act . Often times , they were just fiddling fronts for , say , bootlegging or a strip show that could n’t just be further , which is why they became strictly mold in 19th or 20th 100 America [ source : A Way With Words ] . That ’s why the idiomatic expression " dog and pony show " is often used in a disparaging manner . We ’re just nodding to the hucksterism history of these off - blade genus Circus .
8: Horses Are The Thing
If you want to learn about circus animals , it ’s exceedingly important to understand just how critical the horse was in the development of the genus Circus we fuck today . It may seem strange considering how fullytame lionsand train elephants capture our attention these days , but the circus actually all began with some amazing equestrian riders — and their equally impressive steed .
In late eighteenth C Britain , equestrian riding school began showing performances of horse cavalry antic horseback riding , which let in lots of stand up on the back ofgalloping stallionsand athletic - like contortionism performed during rides [ source : Speaight ] . These acts hold place in a large orbitual pack , so bunch could see the action from start to finish . It was much strong to watch a performer on a half - mile straightaway , after all . This circular track provided the name for the clowning , juggling , acrobatics and various entertainments that filled the holes between Equus caballus acts — the Latin Holy Scripture " carnival , " meaning circle .
But there ’s actually a trivial more drama to the horse - and - circus story . Let ’s encounter out how circus animals were first part of a much grander theater tradition .
7: Hip Hip Hippodrama
When you ’re turning up your nose at the low - brow carnival creature you see performing for peanuts , perhaps you should keep in mind the rathergrandiose beginningsof our animal actors . It was n’t the circus that made a slew of animals " famous " ; or else , the animals were already stars on stage , and the circus promoters acquire reward of their popularity .
Even horse — the original genus Circus beast — were actually gaining an audience in the 19th century through hippodrama . Hippodrama was a curious blend of theatre and horsemanship . Essentially , the play revolved around either a horse or buck performing as part of the action and they prove quite pop with folk wanting to see , say , the story of a bandit galloping about on horseback [ generator : Speaight ] . afterward on , other trainable animals — like lions — were used in productions , which whetted the populace ’s appetite for alien creatures . Queen Victoriasaw a performance of " Charlemagne " seven times , where the showstopper feature a lion and panther perform together [ source : Speaight ] .
But enough of these mysterious beasts that populate the carnival in our own time . Let ’s take a look at some carnival beast that never quite lived up to a dreaded reputation but were quite popular : the fauna we might see in our own habitation or out on the farm .
6: Old McDonald Could’ve Had a Circus
As note originally , circusanimals have n’t always been unusual animate being from far - away lands . In fact , we still see show today that showcase much more traditional creatures . Equestrian operation are still staple genus Circus act and have ’s not leave the amazingAcro - Catsthat you could still see touring today . While we might break at the thought of trained guy , it turns out that there ’s a long tradition there : One goofball in the early 19th one C had an act where cats pull out him obediently around in a cart [ source : Speaight ] . Take that , lions .
But it was n’t just entirely naturalise animals that worked early circus days . Pigswere big - time genus Circus heavyweights , and had show up in shows since the 18th century [ source : Speaight ] . Taurus and oxen also graced the ring , but apparently they just do n’t have a mint of capacity for tricks — perhaps unsurprising , if you ’ve ever attempted a meaningful fundamental interaction with a cow . In any vitrine , farm animals doing little tricks became a bit irksome for audiences , who want the razzle - dazzle of the glitzy genus Circus animals we see today .
5: Animals Got No Respect
So we ’ve covered a great deal aboutcircusanimal history , but what about some more modern-day circus animal facts ? Well , first allow ’s speak the elephant ( wear the sequined headgear and walking a tightrope ) in the way . Circus creature — both throughout account and in present - day — have been treated passing severely , and we would be remiss to ignore it . allow ’s just get one more thing straight about circus animal history : carnival did n’t start off anywhere close to inhuman treatment - complimentary .
In the beginning , animate being trainers(or tamer or keepers ) used cruelty in social club to " teach " their animal ’s deportment or caper . The most famous Leo trainer of the 19th century was Isaac Van Amburgh , and while a set of his act consist of so - called " play " with the brute in delight , it belied the ruthlessness he impose on them outside the ring [ source : Speaight ] . He purportedly beat his animals with a crowbar , which I suppose is one way to struggle a cat — but seems like a very effective means to have the cat skin you [ root : Thayer ] .
How about today ? Are circus animate being still treated so ill ?
4: . . . And Still Don’t
Even in the last decade , there has been a host of frightful promotion for circuses when it comes to theirtreatment of animal confrere . In 2011 , Feld Entertainment ( the parent company of Ringling Bros. andBarnum & Bailey Circus ) was fined $ 270,000 by the United States Department Agriculture after they found numerous violations of the Animal Welfare Act [ rootage : Grove ] . It was the declamatory fine on disc , but notice that it probably did n’t do much equipment casualty to the $ 1 billion annual gross bottom crease [ author : Grove ] .
Bullhooksare a common training shaft used on elephants , and also controversial . The gadget — which look like a fireplace poker , with its precipitous - hooked end — is fundamentally designed to prod an elephant ’s pelt , which a flock of the great unwashed argue is just cruel . By 2014 , over 40 municipality in the United States and 30 country around the globe had expressed enough worry over the use of bullhooks that regulatory measure were passed — including a full - on ban in Oakland and Los Angeles . This change in regulation resulted in one more fact about elephant in the circus you might not substantiate .
3: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Won’t Use Elephants (Eventually)
After Los Angeles and Oakland ban bullhooks in 2014 , Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said they would no longer tour there . But after a collective shrug from the cities , a rather huge growth took position in 2015 : Feld Entertainment ( the parent caller of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus ) decide to retire all their elephants by 2018 to a conservation center in Florida , efficaciously phase out elephant performances in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus once and for all [ source : Izadi ] .
Now have ’s note that Feld Entertainment was n’t about to say that they were admitting actus reus or bowing under pressure from animal rights activist . In fact , judicial proceeding had been on-going in a regular jerk of war : The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ASPCA ) had to make up Feld Entertainment $ 9.3 million after Feld sued and make headway after claiming ASPCA made an abuse of title in an former suit against them [ source : Allen ] . The bottom line?Elephantcruelty prevention had gotten messy on both incline , and Feld Entertainment say that it need to put up a resource for Asiatic elephant saving by retiring theelephantsby 2018 — bequeath animate being right field group wondering why it would take three years to do so [ source : Izadi ] .
2: Flea Circuses Are Real (Even if the Fleas Aren’t)
Not to fall the grandness of humanistic brute treatment , but my good — the circus should provide us a happy headspace . rent ’s move on to some cheery fauna fact , by take a close look — at one circus drawing card that is controversial because nobody is quite sure that it subsist in the first place . Step right up , lady and gentleman , to memorize a little moment about the flea .
The one fact we ca n’t absolutely positively substantiate is the large one : Are there actually flea in theflea circus ? Professor A.G. Gertsacov — who is the ringmaster and proprietor of the Acme Miniature Flea Circus — swears he employ pulex irritans ( human fleas , large than the ones you ’d find on Fido or Miss Kitty ) in his show to do things like pull teeny chariot [ root : Viera ] . But that does n’t intend that every show is bonafide — some performers really do employ electronics or magnet to make airscrew dance .
But the truth is that in 1578 , a smithy name Mark Scalliot really did attain a stage of fame in London for forge a little gold collar for a flea — the earliest flea genus Circus recorded [ source : Furgurson ] .
1: When Circus Animals Retire
Not every circus animate being exercise until their last intimation . Some animate being get to live the twilight of their years away from the daily grind of roost on their hind legs or jumping through hoops . When the Great British Circus sell off their animals in 2012 , they actually advertised their goodness — azebraand two horses — in ads in the back of Horse and Hound Magazine [ source : Animal Defenders International ] .
And you might be surprised to experience that some animals with the genus Circus are n’t owned by the show at all , but have secret owners that lease out the brute . Upon retirement from work , they ’re back to being the responsibility of the owner [ source : Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey ] . Some elephants also go to zoos , where they exist in community of elephants . But it seems many of the animals go towildlife sanctuaries . Both an elephant and a grownup cat sanctuary are run by Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Florida .
Lots More Information
In the pastime of erring on the good side , I would argue that the only animal you ’re guaranteed to see handle like royal house at the circus is the flea . And that does n’t just go for flea circuses ; there ’s make to be a good deal of fleas at every carnival , and you love they ’re living the life .
