Animal Circus Controversies

Animal-based circus' have been in the eye of environmentalists through the years as they have discovered animal living conditions has not been satisfactory.
Research shows:

• 71% of the observed animals had medical problems 
• 33% of tigers and lions did not have access to an outdoor enclosure 
• 66% of tigers, lions and elephants were malnourished 
• Lions spend on average 98% of their time indoors 
• An average enclosure of tigers is only 5m squared
• Elephants are shackled in chains for 17 hours a day on average 
• Elephants spend on average 10 hours a day showing stereotypic behaviour 
• Tigers are terrified of fire but are still forced to jump through fire rings
• circuses travel 48 weeks per year, 26 hours animals are in cages during transport 
• Every major circus that uses animals has been cited for violating minimal standards in the U.S Animal Welfare Act. 
• 96% of animals live is spent in cages
• Since 1990 there have been over 123 cases of lion attacks at circuses 
• Animals are trained through discipline

Although having animals in the circus enhances the experiences, their medical stability is not worth being damaged for the entertainment of the audience. 

Over time, circus' have created better living conditions for the circus animals but they are still on the path of perfecting appropriate lifestyles for the animals. 

Ways that they can work on further improving the conditions include: less cages, more open space for the animals to roam, no shackles and not making animals go against natural instincts, for example, as stated above, tigers have a fear of fire yet they are forced to jump through fire hoops.