Ringling Bros. is eliminating elephant acts from circus

The entourage of circus elephants heads down Washington Boulevard during their walk to Staples Center in 2011.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The circus elephants pass the Fashion District during their walk to Staples Center in 2011.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

The circus elephant walk ends at Staples Center in 2011.  (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

Mabel, an 8-year-old Asian elephant, is offered her favorite treat, a loaf of bread, during a pre-show where she painted, dunked a basketball, twirled a hoop and kicked a beach ball in Jacksonville, Fla., in January.  (Bob Mack / Associated Press)

Joey Frisco gives elephants a bath outside of a tent in Miami where they are housed during a media preview of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus in January.   (Lynne Sladky / Associated Press)

Elephants perform at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus in Tampa, Fla. The circus said it will phase out its iconic elephant acts by 2018.   (Gary Bogdon / Associated Press)

A male elephant scratches on the bars of his pen at the Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk City, Fla., in February.   (Chris O’Meara / Associated Press)

CEO of Feld Entertainment Kenneth Feld, and his daughters, from right, Juliette, Alana and Nicole, feed elephants Alana and Icky at the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Center for Elephant Conservation, in Polk City, Fla., on March 3.  (Chris O’Meara / Associated Press)