The number of wild animals in travelling circuses is small — at the end of the 2017 touring season there were only two travelling circuses and the licenses covered 19 animals (six reindeer, four zebra, three camels, three racoons, a fox, a macaw, and a zebu). However, for a number of years, ethical concerns have been raised over the keeping of wild animals in travelling circuses and six years ago, in response to these concerns, the Government introduced the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012.