Disturbing footage captured the sickening moment two bears were forced to box on their hind legs in front of a laughing audience at a cruel Russian circus.
The wild beasts, removed from their natural habitats, can be seen dressed in shorts and boxing gloves in shocking videos shared online.
The animals are forced to perform in boxing rings under fluorescent lights in front of large, noisy audiences in resorts such as Sochi on the Black Sea.
A horror video captured by an audience member at a fighting event showed two bears fighting each other, each with a circus trainer grabbing a rope tied to the large predators in an effort to keep them under control.
Bright spotlights illuminate the brown bears, who are then forced into the center of the ring, before they start pushing 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 while standing under the venue’s fluorescent lights and fighting in front of hundreds of cheering spectators.
The video showed the animals being dragged by a handler to the corners of the boxing ring with a rope before beginning their next round of righting.
They bang their heads and wave their paws as they stand on their hind legs, terrifyingly reaching almost the same height as their trainers.
After a few moments, they return to their opposite corners of the ring as the crowd cheers and applauds, preparing for the next round.
Then a third, taller bear runs into the ring to play the role of boxing assistant.
This bear, dressed in striped shorts, returns later with flowers for the champion.
Another video of the circus act shows the two large bears wearing boxing gloves fighting each other while all the circus lights are on.
Hundreds of people can be seen gathered around the stage as they wait in anticipation to see how the fight unfolds.
They can be seen leaping towards each other while standing on their hind legs, throwing furious punches as two trainers try to prevent the fight from turning into something potentially more violent and deadly.
Following a growing number of reports of this “cruelty”, and as more shocking images of such events are shared online, animal lovers are calling for the practice to be brought down.
More than 116,000 people signed a petition by Russian animal rights activist Yuri Koretskikh against such cruel spectacles.
He singled out a bear boxing performance at the Sochi Circus and said: “The trainers (of the circus) considered that animal fight funny, but the public did not appreciate their creative idea and on social media demanded that the organizers be charged. of cruelty to animals. .
“This video tells us once again in a colorful way about the level of degradation of circus art in Russia and about the real attitude of trainers towards animals.”
Another video of the cruel fight shows the animals fighting under the bright lights of the circus in front of a large audience.
They collide and collide with each other as their handlers move around the ring in an attempt to keep the fight from becoming too violent.
Yuri Koretskikh, an animal rights activist, started an online petition against bear boxing in Russian circuses that has been signed by more than 116,000 people.
The petition calls for legislation that “prohibits the use of animals in circuses.”
On social media, a survey of commentators showed 349 angry reactions, 116 angry and 23 crying.
However, circuses remain popular in Russia and animals are traditionally a central element of the performances.
Koretskikh heads the Russian Alliance of Animal Protectors who said: “While modern world circus art is rapidly advancing towards humanity, banning the use of animals in circuses, the Russian circus lobby is actively resisting progress, defending its commercial interests.” .
Recent surveys show that the majority of respondents “no longer want to see animals suffer in circuses,” the campaign stated.
It comes after the Kremlin was condemned last year for using a “horrible” 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.”
The videos showed a bear dancing with a hoop at the Russian State Circus, a beaver flying on a trapeze while apparently urinating in distress, and beavers pulling a duck carriage.
Amnesty International’s Marie Struthers said at the time: “There is something grotesque about the Russian authorities using a circus to try to normalize their occupation.”
