Circus animal use is declining globally as welfare science and public attitudes have shifted dramatically.
Traditional circus animal use involves keeping wide-ranging wild animals in small transport containers for much of their lives, moving frequently between venues, and training through methods that often involve physical coercion. Elephants, tigers, lions, and bears in circus settings cannot express natural behavior, maintain natural social structures, or experience the environmental complexity they require. The global legislative trend toward banning circus animal use reflects a public consensus that entertainment value does not justify the welfare costs of this system.