The Danish government is buying the last four Danish circus elephants so they can retire, Food minister Mogens Jensen announced on Saturday.
40 countries currently have a ban on having wild animals (or at least some species) in circuses: 19 of them are in Europe.
Having wild animals in circuses is very controversial in Denmark, the same as in many other Western countries.
It is highly regulated in Scandinavia: only elephants, sea lions, and zebras are permitted.
A press release from Jensen said a proposed bill that would completely ban wild animals in circuses would be submitted when Parliament reopens.
Jensen’s press release revealed that the government will buy Ramboline, Lara, Djunga and Jenny for 11 million Danish kroner (around €1.5 million).
Where the animals will live has not yet been decided, but it will definitely be a zoo. “The elephants will go to an establishment that can offer them the best quality of life and care,” the press release says.
The Brussels Times
