The Circle of Life film will no longer be running after February 3rd, 2018. This Lion King based “environmental fable” will close to make space within the park for the Performing Arts segment of Disney’s Youth Programs.

The Circle of Life opened on January 21, 1995 after replacing Symbiosis which was a similar film that was less kid friendly. </s> TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in Florida has decided to close a river rapids ride after four people were killed on a similar water ride at an amusement park in Australia.

News outlets report Busch Gardens officials say the Congo River Rapids ride was shut down Tuesday “out of an abundance of caution” while they work to understand what happened in Australia.

Officials there say two men and two women died while on the Thunder River Rapids ride after it malfunctioned at Dreamworld, a popular theme park on Queensland’s Gold Coast.

The Thunder River Rapids ride, which Busch Gardens officials say is similar to the Congo River Rapids ride, whisks riders in circular rafts along a fast-moving, man-made river, with a conveyor belt helping move the rafts through the water. </s> American children’s television network Nickelodeon says it has abandoned plans for a themed resort on an island known as the Philippines’ last ecological frontier following a backlash from environmentalists.

Nickelodeon said in January that it would build an “undersea attraction and resort” on Palawan island that would let fans “interact with the brand and the iconic characters they love”, including SpongeBob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer.

The announcement triggered fierce criticism from environmental campaigners who said it would destroy the area’s world-famous marine ecosystem, and an online petition calling for the project to be scrapped attracted more than 260,000 signatures.

Viacom International Media Networks, which owns Nickelodeon, said on Wednesday it had abandoned the project.

“[Viacom] and Nickelodeon will no longer be involved with this proposed development,” the company said in a statement. Viacom said the decision was “mutually agreed” with its Philippine partner, Coral World Park.

The statement did not say why Viacom had pulled out and its regional spokeswoman would not elaborate when contacted.

Conservation groups call Palawan “the last frontier” because of its pristine coastlines and forests, which are among the oldest and most diverse in south-east Asia. It is home to two Unesco world heritage sites – a subterranean river and the Tubbataha coral reefs.

Viacom’s initial statement in January promoted the project as its first resort in south-east Asia that “would give a significant business opportunity for our partners across multiple platforms”.

Viacom and Coral World Park also highlighted the project’s “ocean conservation focus” and plans for a giant marine sanctuary.

Environmental group Greenpeace on Wednesday hailed Viacom’s decision as a victory. “We commend Viacom for heeding the call of more than 200,000 online petitioners and the offline community campaign,” said Vince Cinches of Greenpeace South-east Asia. “They were able to dodge the bullet that has a huge reputational backlash for Nickelodeon, which has been claiming it is children-oriented.”

The Nickelodeon resort was meant to be part of Coral World Park’s 400-hectare (1,000-acre) development.

Coral World Park did not immediately respond to emails asking whether it would pursue the project following Viacom’s withdrawal.

The executive director of environmental group Save Philippine Seas, Anna Oposa, said the campaign against the development would not let up. “Our position and strategy will not change: we’ll continue to call on the local government of Coron and provincial government of Palawan to reject the project,” she said. </s> Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus said late Saturday it would deliver its final performance in May, shutting down after a nearly century-and-a-half run as “The Greatest Show on Earth.”

The iconic American show will end after 146 years, succumbing to numerous obstacles in recent years such as rising operating costs, falling attendance and mounting criticism from animal rights groups.

“Ringling Bros. ticket sales have been declining, but following the transition of the elephants off the road, we saw an even more dramatic drop,” said Kenneth Feld, the CEO of Feld Entertainment, which produces the circus, in a statement. “This, coupled with high operating costs, made the circus an unsustainable business for the company.”

In 2015, the circus said it would begin phasing out the use of elephants in its shows over three years in response to animals rights advocates and public backlash.

See also: Ringling Bros. joins 5 other companies bending to consumer pressure

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, a major critic of the circus’s treatment of animals, championed the move on Saturday as a “victory” while Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States, commended the decision in a tweet.

Ringling Bros. has two separate shows on tour and is set to perform a total of 30 more shows before the curtain falls in May. The final two shows will be held in Providence, R.I., on May 7 and in Uniondale, N.Y., on May 21.

Feld Entertainment’s other productions include Marvel Universe Live, Monster Jam, Disney On Ice and Disney Live. </s> In a press statement sent to Rappler on Tuesday, August 22, Viacom says it decided to 'mutually agree' with Coral World Park (CWP) 'to discontinue the IP licensing agreement' for the said Nickelodeon-branded tourism infrastructure

PUERTO PRINCESA, Philippines – Viacom International Media Networks (VIMN) no longer wants to pursue the construction of its fiercely opposed Nickelodeon-branded attraction and resort in Coron town.

In a press statement sent to Rappler on Tuesday, August 22, VIMN said it decided to “mutually agree” with project developer Coral World Park (CWP) “to discontinue the IP licensing agreement” for the said Nickelodeon-branded tourism infrastructure.

“Therefore, VIMN and Nickelodeon will no longer be involved with this proposed development,” said Adeline Ong, VIMN Asia’s Senior Director of Corporate Communications.

The statement comes a few weeks after Greenpeace urged VIMN to end its partnership with CWP which the green groups found to have “no historical background of any conservation effort anywhere else in the Philippines.”

“Drop this outrageous project as early as possible, or else face a possible reputational backlash,” warned Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner of Greenpeace Philippines, said in a press conference in Puerto Princesa on July 27.

Cinches said the CWP had yet to submit a master plan since the global media company announced in January its plan to build the “world’s first undersea attraction and Nickelodeon’s first resort in Southeast Asia." (READ: Nickelodeon to build Philippine underwater theme park)

Slated to open in 2020, the ambitious project aimed to develop a 400-hectare area, with 70 hectares set aside for the resort’s accommodation and 30 hectares for the themed attraction.

The planned attraction drew flak from environmental and civil society organizations, including the Tagbanua Tribes of Coron Island Association, Incorporated (TTCIA), which asserted Coron was not just a place of ecological importance boasting spectacular sceneries but also a place of cultural value that needs to be preserved. (READ: Tagbanua to Nickelodeon: 'We don't need an underwater theme park in Coron')

“Chances are, we’ll not be able to do our traditional practices should we let them in,” said Armil Pe Abella, a member of Tagbanua tribe who acquired a certificate of ancestral domain title, which grants them authority over 24,264-hectare land and seascape around the municipality of Coron.

An online petition against the project had garnered over 263,000 signatures.

"Why do Coron and the Philippines need artificial attractions? Coron is already so beautiful in its natural state," said petitioner Anna Oposa, Save Philippine Seas executive director.

AA Yaptinchay, executive director of Marine Wildlife Watch of the Philippines, lauds VIMN for making such an announcement.

“This is a welcome development. We congratulate VIMN for discerning, not only which responsible companies they partner up with, but we hope with sincere concern on how these developments can negatively affect the natural environment,” he told Rappler.

Yaptinchay added the conservation community will remain watchful, in case the developer decides to push through with the project. “We are still cautious though that the planned development by Coral World Park is still active, possibly with a new, less responsible partner. We will be vigilant,” he added.

Cinches said VIMN’s abandonment of the project partnership with CWP is a warning to other investors who may consider engaging with the latter in the future.

“It’s not wise to partner with Coral World Park at this moment because Nickelodeon already abandoned that kind of partnership, so the [project] could not be revived anymore,” he told Rappler.

In a joint statement, conservation groups in the country urged the local government of Coron, the provincial government of Palawan, and Philippine environmental regulatory institutions to reject any potentially destructive project proposals anywhere in the province and the country. – Rappler.com </s> After more than 100 years of operation, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus will hold its final performances in May of this year. Kenneth Feld, CEO of Feld Entertainment, which has owned the circus for the past 50 years said the decline of ticket sales, compounded by the high operating costs “made the circus an unsustainable business for the company.”

The phasing out of elephants contributed to the massive decline of sales. Their choreographed dance routines were once a staple and spotlight of the circus, although criticism from animal rights activists forced the circus to phase out elephant acts altogether. Although Ringling Bros. runs a 200 acre elephant conversation center, and have made efforts to take better care of their animals, the Humane Society of the United States acknowledge the effort, but feels the circus did not take action soon enough. The Human Society’s President and CEO Wayne Pacelle said in a statement, “It’s just not acceptable any longer to cart wild animals from city to city and have them perform silly yet coercive stunts. I know this is bittersweet for the Feld family, but I applaud their decision to move away from an institution grounded on inherently inhumane wild animal acts.”

The circus currently has two tours on the road right now. The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Circus XTREME will finish in Providence, R.I., on May 7, 2017, and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Presents Out Of This World will conclude in Uniondale, N.Y., on May 21, 2017.

The full statement from Feld Entertainment CEO, Kenneth Feld, can be read HERE. </s> AMERICAN children's television network Nickelodeon said on Wednesday it had abandoned plans for a themed resort on an island known as the Philippines' last ecological frontier following a backlash from environmentalists.

Nickelodeon said in January that it would build an " </s> ELLENTON, Fla. (AP) — The owners of Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced Saturday that they will close the 146-year-old show in May.

Kenneth Feld, the chairman and CEO of Feld Entertainment, which owns the circus, said declining attendance combined with high operating costs are the reasons for closing.

Here’s where things stand with the iconic show:

WHEN IS THE CIRCUS’ FINAL SHOW?

Ringling Bros. has two touring circuses this season: “Circus Extreme” and “Out of This World.” The final show for “Circus Extreme” will be in Providence, Rhode Island, on May 7, and the other will close after a performance in Uniondale, New York, at the Nassau County Coliseum on May 21.

WHAT HAPPENS BETWEEN NOW AND MAY?

The two touring circuses will perform a total of 30 shows over the next four months. Most of the shows will be held in the South or the East Coast. Major stops include Atlanta, Washington, Philadelphia, Boston and Brooklyn. Tickets can still be purchased online and at venues.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE EMPLOYEES?

The Feld family has owned the circus for 49 years, and employs some 500 people for the show. Those employees were told about the closure on Saturday night, after shows in Orlando and Miami. A handful will be placed in positions with the company’s other shows — it owns Monster Jam, Disney on Ice and Marvel Live, among other things — but most will be out of a job. Chief Operating Officer Juliette Feld said the company will help employees with job placement and resumes. In some cases where a circus employee lives on the tour rail car (the circus travels by train), the company will also help with housing relocation.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE ANIMALS?

In May of 2016, Ringling retired all of its elephants to a property in central Florida. Forty elephants live at the Center for Elephant Conservation in Polk County. But the circus still has other animals, such as lions, tigers, camels, donkeys, alpacas, kangaroos and llamas.

Juliette Feld says homes will be found for the animals, but the company will continue operating the Center for Elephant Conservation.

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE COSTUMES AND PROPS?

The Feld family hasn’t decided what it will do with the enormous warehouse filled with circus costumes and props. Kenneth Feld says the company will continue to work with the Circus Museum at The Ringling in Sarasota. That museum holds memorabilia dating to the 1800s, when John Ringling and his family founded Ringling Bros and Barnum and Bailey Circus. </s> Environmentalists have raised the alarm over the planned construction of the underwater resort and theme park in what is known as the Philippines' 'last ecological frontier'

MANILA, Philippines – Environment Secretary Gina Lopez will not allow the planned construction of an underwater resort and theme park in Palawan.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) quoted Lopez on its official Twitter account on Wednesday, January 11.

Lopez says she won't allow the underwater theme park in Palawan. #environment2017 — DENR (@DENR_Official) January 11, 2017

The DENR issued the statement after Viacom International Media Networks, which owns Nickelodeon, announced that the resort would open in 2020 and feature restaurants and lounges 6 meters (20 feet) below sea level.

It would be part of a 400-hectare undersea development that will showcase the area's marine life and give fans a chance to "interact with the brand and the iconic characters they love."

Ron Johnson, an executive vice president at Viacom, said in a statement that Palawan was chosen because it "is known to have some of the most beautiful beaches in the world today."

Viacom said the development would "advocate ocean protection."

But the plan to build the park in what is known as the Philippines' "last ecological frontier" already met opposition from environmentalists who are worried it would destroy Palawan's world-famous marine ecosystem.

The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, a government body, said the project had yet to be approved. – with reports from Agence France-Presse/Rappler.com
Epcot announces that Circle of Life: An Environmental Fable would close permanently.