Horror as brutal tiger fight breaks out in circus ring in front of hundreds of children and parents
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A circus show had to be stopped after two female tigers engaged in a fierce fight in front of an audience of children and parents.
Trainers repeatedly hit tigers with sticks and pelted them with props to try to separate the beasts in deeply disturbing images from Russia’s Kislovodsk State Circus.
A tigress named Eru was attacked by a nine-year-old white tigress, Gina, who went on a rampage in the ring during an act.
The wounded animal Eru was severely injured, but climbed back onto a circular stool before collapsing with blood spurting from gaping wounds in front of hundreds of children and their parents watching.
Vets are now ‘fighting to save his life’.
The harrowing episode led to immediate calls to ban live animals in circuses in Russia.
Audience members watched in horror for several minutes as the vicious fight unfolded, then witnessed the injured beast as trainers tried to get it into a cage.
Other tigers were in the ring but did not join the fight.
A Russian circus show has stopped after a fight between tigers broke out
Atiger named Eru was attacked by the nine-year-old tigress Gina in the Kislovodsk State Circus
Trainers hit the tigers with sticks and threw props at them to try to separate the beasts.
Famous tiger trainer Yaroslav Zapashny, 32, from Moscow, who was performing with his troupe on tour, apologized for ugly scenes for which audiences paid £8-£23 per ticket for a show of the Year New.
Circus experts claimed that abnormally hot weather in southern Russia led Gina to “go into hunting mode prematurely”.
“Today, a very fierce conflict broke out between two tigers during my performance with predators,” said Zapashny, who belongs to the fifth generation of a famous circus dynasty.
‘One of the tigresses attacked another.
‘To avoid terrible injuries, my tamers and I began to separate them
“Security guards behind the [safety] net got involved….
Experts claimed that the unusually warm weather led Gina to “go into hunting mode” early.
‘Were separated…
‘One of the tigresses, unfortunately, has very serious injuries.
They loaded her into a cage and took her [away].
The vets are now fighting for his life.
I express my apologies to the audience for such an incident.
‘This is the first case in my experience.
“Fights happen, but one this fierce was the first time.”
Vets are now fighting for the life of the severely injured tigress after she was severely injured.
The gruesome big cat fight came a day after another lion attacked a well-known circus trainer in other parts of Russia.
The beast ‘scratched and sank its teeth’ into Alexey Makarenko, 42, during a performance in front of children and their parents.
His wife, Olga Borisova, 43, also a trainer, “saved his life” by scaring off the predator when it forced him to the ground in the circus arena at the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
After the tiger fight, there was a flurry of calls online in Russia to ban live animals in circuses.
Milana posted: ‘They are torturing animals.’
Another commenter said: ‘Ban circuses. This is mockery and sadism!’
Lara added: “They close circuses with animals. It is torture for animals.
Irina Novozhilova of the animal rights group VITA has long called for a ban on all circuses featuring live animals, which remain popular across Russia.
“No circus condition will be human for one simple reason,” he said.
‘Training goes hand in hand with cruelty…
‘Circuses are always cruel beyond limits.
And circuses with animals should be banned.