YULEE, Fla. — A Florida wildlife sanctuary is building a new 2,500-acre home for former circus elephants.
The White Oak Conservation Center announced Wednesday that it's expecting to welcome 30 Asian elephants starting next year.
The pachyderms are coming from the Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk County. Most of the animals previously traveled with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus until they were retired in 2016.
The elephants will have access to nine interlinked areas that will include a variety of vegetation and habitat types, such as wetlands, meadows and woods, a news release said. The center is constructing eleven waterholes and three barns equipped with veterinary equipment.