The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is putting an end to its elephant acts.

The circus' parent company, Feld Entertainment, told The Associated Press exclusively that the acts will be phased out completely by 2018. Widespread public concern about how the animals are treated led to Feld's decision.

Feld's 43 elephants will all at the company's 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation in Florida. Currently, there are 29 elephants there, and the other 14 will arrive as they are phased out from the circus.

Elephant acts have been been a part of Ringling Bros. for more than one hundred years.

The decision to phase out the elephants will be announced Thursday.

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