Disturbing video shows bears forced to BOX on their hind legs in front of a laughing audience at a brutal Russian circus
Disturbing footage has captured the sickening moment two bears were forced to slap each other on the back legs in front of a laughing audience at a brutal Russian circus.
The wild beasts – removed from their natural habitat – are seen dressed in shorts and boxing gloves in shocking videos shared online.
The animals are made to perform in boxing rings under fluorescent lights in front of large and loud audiences in resorts such as Sochi on the Black Sea.
A horror video taken by an audience member during a fighting act showed two bears fighting each other – each with a circus trainer holding on to a rope tied to the large predators in an attempt to control them.
Bright spotlights shine down on the brown bears, who are then forced to the center of the ring, before they begin pushing and shoving each other.
Shocking footage captured the moment two brown bears were forced to fight in a boxing ring at a Russian circus
The bears can be seen wearing shorts as they stand under the fluorescent lights of the venue and fight in front of hundreds of cheering spectators
The video showed the animals being dragged on a rope by a handler back to the corners of the boxing ring before beginning their next round of mounting.
They bump their heads and wave their legs while standing on their hind legs, terrifyingly reaching almost the same height as their trainers.
After a few moments, they are led back to their opposite corners of the ring as the crowd cheers and claps, preparing for the next round.
Then a third, larger bear runs into the ring to play the role of boxing caretaker.
This bear, wearing striped shorts, later returns with flowers for the champion.
Another video of the circus act shows the two big bears wearing boxing gloves fighting each other while all the circus lights are on.
Hundreds of people can be seen surrounding the stage as they eagerly wait to see how the fight unfolds.
They can be seen leaping at each other while standing on their hind legs, throwing furious punches as two handlers try to prevent the fight from turning into something potentially more violent and deadly.
Following increasing reports of this ‘cruelty’ and as more and more shocking images of such events are shared online, animal lovers are calling for the practice to be abolished.
A petition by Russian animal rights activist Yuri Koretskikh against such cruel spectacles has been signed by more than 116,000 people.
It singled out a bear boxing performance at the Sochi Circus and said: ‘The (circus) trainers found such an animal fight funny, but the audience did not like their creative idea and on social networks they demanded that the organizers be accused of cruelty to animals . .
‘This video once again tells us in a colorful way about the degree of degradation of circus art in Russia and about the real attitude of trainers towards animals.’
Another video of the brutal fight shows the animals fighting under bright circus lights in front of a large audience
They bump and bump into each other as their handlers move around the ring in an attempt to keep the fight from getting too violent
Yuri Koretskikh, an animal rights activist, started an online petition against bear boxing in Russian circuses, which has been signed by more than 116,000 people
The petition demands legislation ‘to ban the use of animals in circuses’.
On social media, a survey of commentators showed 349 angry reactions, of which 116 were upset and 23 were crying.
However, circuses remain popular in Russia, and animals are traditionally a central part of performances.
Koretskikh heads the Russian Alliance of Animal Protectors and said: “While modern world circus art is rapidly moving towards humanity and banning the use of animals in circuses, the Russian circus lobby actively opposes progress and defends its commercial interests.”
Recent polls show that the majority of respondents “no longer want to see animals suffer in circuses,” the campaign said.
It comes after the Kremlin was condemned last year for using a “horrific” animal circus to entertain Ukrainian war orphans in Mariupol.
Propaganda films showed beavers, bears and bison performing tricks. State news agencies claimed it brought residents “happiness, love and joy” in “difficult times.”
Videos showed a bear dancing with a hoop at Russia’s State Circus, a beaver flying on a trapeze while apparently urinating in distress, and beavers pulling a duck carriage.
Marie Struthers of Amnesty International said at the time: “There is something grotesque about the Russian authorities using a circus to normalize their occupation.”