LEGGETT (August 21, 2009)—A Texas man who’s accused of mistreating his elephants can keep one of the animals after agreeing to give up two and pay a federal fine.

Willie Davenport of Leggett, who comes from a family involved in circuses, has denied mistreating elephants named Boo, Jewel and Tina.

On Thursday, Davenport gave up 40-year-old Jewel and 39-year-old Tina, both Asian elephants, to end his fight with regulators.

He will keep Boo, who has been with his family since the 1960s.

Davenport also agreed to pay a $3,000 fine in exchange for federal authorities dropping complaints against him for failing to have proper purchasing permits for Jewel and Tina.

Davenport said he bought the animals for $150,000 from a retiring elephant trainer in Florida in 2006.

Both elephants, which were deemed to be dangerously underweight, will be taken to a zoo.

Leggett is about 75 miles northeast of Houston.