Animal Crackers Freed From Cages In New Box Design

(CBS) – Animal crackers are being released from their cages after 116 years, and shoppers may not recognize the packaging of Nabisco's classic treat Barnum's Animals crackers in the grocery store.

The exotic animals – a zebra, elephant, lion, giraffe and gorilla – pictured on the box are no longer behind bars, but featured roaming around grass and trees.

The package redesign comes after pressure from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

The group called for a change saying the outdated boxes showed the exploitation and cruelty animals are subjected to in the circus.

Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus shut down because of slow ticket sales in May 2017.