The ‘Greatest Show on Earth’ will take a bow for the last time in May.
The Big Top is coming down on May 21 after nearly 150 years for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
The iconic show had been targeted by animal rights groups and it had phased out its elephant shows.
However times have changed since the golden era of the travelling circus and ticket sales had been declining for several years.
There was a ‘dramatic’ fall in ticket sales when it stopped using elephants, said Juliette Feld, COO of parent company Feld Entertainment.
"We know now that one of the major reasons people came to Ringling Bros. was getting to see elephants. We stand by that decision. We know it was the right decision. This was what audiences wanted to see and it definitely played a major role," she said.
Animals are still used in shows, including tigers, kangaroos and camels, which will be found suitable homes after closure.
"I applaud their decision to move away from an institution grounded on inherently inhumane wild animal acts," said Wayne Pacelle, US president and CEO of The Humane Society.
