Wild video shows the moment a bear attacks during a Chinese circus performance
Wild footage shows the moment a dancing bear attacked a ring master during a circus performance in China.
The black bear named Xiong Xiong could be seen pinning a performer to the ground before colleagues rushed to help break the man free during a show in the city of Huzhou last Tuesday.
According to local reports, it took six circus staff to release the bear’s tight grip and usher it back in its cage.
Footage of the incident made its way onto China’s social media platform Douyin, similar to TikTok, where users commented on the wellbeing of the animal.
“This little bear is so disturbed. I can only imagine how much abuse it has suffered,” one person wrote, according to local media.
“Cancel animal performances, they are so sad to watch!” another wrote, while a third agreed: “There should be no animal shows …”
The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) also known as the white-chested bear is native to Asia.
It has a medium-sized build with females significantly smaller than males, weighing around 127kg.
The bears are currently listed as ‘vulnerable’ by IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with the Institute of Animal Law in Asia calling on a ban on animals in circus performances.
“Keeping animals in captivity and using them for entertainment can cause stress and aggression,” it states on the site.
“A lot of wild animals that are used in circuses tend to live in family groups in the wild.
“Apart from having unnatural surroundings of other incompatible animals and an unnatural environment – being cramped in four walls – they are treated with violence and intimidation that lead to animals’ stress.
“It does not only harm animals themselves but also impacts public safety because some animals are driven insane and injure or kill people.”
