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)
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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)
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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)
