France to ban use of wild animals in travelling circuses, mink farming

The French government on September 29 announced that it will gradually end the use of wildlife in travelling circuses across the country. France's environment minister Barbara Pompili on Tuesday said that the country with the new measures seeks to improve the welfare of captive animals in the country, adding "it is time to open a new era in our relationship with these animals."

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The latest measures also include the end of mink farming for their fur, ban on breeding of dolphins and killer whales for aquarium purposes. The minister said that the country will support the zoos which improve detention conditions for animals. However, the minister did not announce exactly when these ecological transitions will come into effect and just said that the measures would be taken in the years to come. 

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Pompili said that the French government will spend €8 million to provide relief package to the circuses and dolphinariums so that they can recover and adapt to the bans as quickly as possible. Many local councils across France already have such bans in place and at least 20 European countries, including the United Kingdom, have restrictions that limit or ban the use of wildlife for entertainment purposes in zoos and circuses. From January 2020, England banned the use of wild animals in circuses under the Wild Animals in Circuses Act 2019. 

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Why wild animals should not be in circuses?

Wild animals in the circus are usually captive bred but that does not change the fact that they are not domesticated because it takes thousands of years for animals to become domesticated. The animals that perform in travelling circuses are meant for living in the wild but instead, they end up spending most of their time chained and caged in cramped living conditions. According to RSPCA, travelling circus life is likely to have a harmful effect on animal welfare as captive animals are unable to socialise, get enough exercise or exhibit natural behaviours.

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