Mad science
December 1st, 2009 by admin
How strong are the chains that confine elephants in the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus? How sharp is the bullhook used by Ringling’s elephant handlers? How thin is an elephant’s skin? How do you “train” an elephant to do a handstand, and repeat the stunt on command, night after night? How many elephants fit into a rail car? How many hours are elephants stuck on the circus train as it travels between cities?
These are questions that will likely not be answered on Sunday when clowns from the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus teach the “science of the circus” at MOSI, Tampa’s science museum. The clowns will entertain guests at MOSI, but they will also be heavily promoting Ringling’s upcoming performances in Tampa.
Each December, a few weeks before Ringling Bros. arrives in Florida, the circus sends a couple clowns on a road trip across the state, visiting libraries, museums and schools in the hope that local media will cover the event and provide the circus with free publicity.
We don’t think MOSI should be helping Ringling Bros. sell circus tickets. Please contact the museum and ask them not to partner with Ringling Bros. in the future. Or if they do, urge them to make the event truly educational and include a discussion of the miserable lives of deprivation, confinement and abuse suffered by animals in traveling circuses.
Contact:
Wit Ostrenko, President/CEO
MOSI
E-mail: wostrenko@mosi.org
Phone: (813) 987-6000
ARFF will demonstrate against the cruelty of the circus during Ringling Bros’ tour of Florida. Visit ARFF’s website for details.