Terrifying moment ‘jealous’ brown bear mauls pregnant circus trainer in front of screaming children
Terrifying moment ‘jealous’ brown bear mauls pregnant circus performer in front of screaming children – but she escapes with just ‘scratches and a bruise’
A male brown bear mauled a pregnant trainer at a circus in western RussiaThe woman said the performing bear may have been ‘jealous’ of her unborn childChildren and parents screamed as the attack happened but the woman survived
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A circus bear that mauled a pregnant trainer in front of screaming children and their parents at a Russian circus may have attacked because it was ‘jealous’ of the woman’s unborn child.
The brown bear lunged at the woman during a circus act with two trainers and another bear in Oryol, western Russia.
She survived with only cuts and bruises and said her unborn child was unharmed.
The trainer said: ‘Perhaps it was jealousy to some extent, since I am pregnant.
‘There can be many nuances.
‘I literally have two scratches and a slight bruise on my leg.
‘I will, of course, deal with this incident with more experienced colleagues.
‘With the animal everything is fine and my baby, all is normal.’
‘At the moment the bear behaves to me the same way as usual, affectionately and fondly again as if nothing happened.’
A male brown bear mauled a pregnant trainer during a circus act in Oryol, western Russia, in front of screaming children and their parents
The pregnant trainer had motioned for the bear to put its paw on a pole. The bear initially obeyed the trainer, who was wearing a bright blue dress and golden high heels
The trainer said the bear may have been ‘jealous’ of her unborn child. Soon after putting its paw on the pole it took hold of her instead
The other trainer, who was wearing a long golden suit, and a staff member in a red polo shirt, rushed to help her
As soon as the male brown bear started to maul the woman in the bright blue dress as two men rushed to free her from its grasp.
However, the male bear did not back off despite ‘blows with a whip’, one audience member said.
The bloodied circus performer was rushed to hospital after the terrifying incident in Oryol, which is 225 miles south of Moscow.
The men grappled with the bear as they tried to free the pregnant trainer. People from the town said the bear was agitated and disturbed as it waited in a cage before the show
The woman was rushed to hospital by ambulance but only suffered minor cuts and bruises. She said both her unborn baby and the bear were alright
Although the trainer and bear ‘hugged and made up’ after the attack, people from the town said the bear was agitated and disturbed as it waited in a cage before the show.
The bear has been barred from performances but is one of several performing at the circus.
It may have previously attacked another circus member and tried to escape.
The terrifying attack happened in Oryol, a city of around 318,000 people in western Russia, 225 miles south of Moscow
Irina Novozhilova is the head of Russian animal rights group Vita.
She said all circuses with live animals were ‘always cruel beyond limits’ should be banned.
‘No circus conditions will be humane for one simple reason,’ she said.
‘Training goes hand-in-hand with cruelty.
‘And circuses with animals should be banned.’
The Russian Investigative Committee has opened a probe into the attack.
A spokesman said: ‘The investigation is undertaking a set of measures to establish all the circumstances of the incident, interviewing circus employees, and witnesses.’
