Former circus elephants just arrived at a new sanctuary. They are swimming and grazing on fruit buffets. Cathy Free Former Ringling Bros. circus elephants began arriving at the White Oak Conservation center in April. (Stephanie Rutan/White Oak Conservation) For about two decades, elephants that performed with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus were sent to a reserve in central Florida when they became too old to balance on two legs and parade around arenas doing tricks and dancing for large crowds. Animal rights’ groups have long called the breeding farm and retirement refuge problematic. It is owned by the parent group of the now-closed circus, and there have been reports of elephants being chained in concrete enclosures and some having foot and leg problems.