Disturbing clip shows terrified bears being forced to BOX at Chinese circus

EXCLUSIVE: Disturbing video shows terrified bears being forced to BOX, walk like a human and spin around in the air on hoops during cruel circus show in China

  • Distressing footage shows bears performing during show in Heilongjiang, China
  • Frightened animals forced to fight with boxing gloves on while a clown referees
  • Clip also shows bear clinging onto hoops and being spun around high in the air
  • They are also made to jump over hurdles, roly-poly, ride scooters and dance

Disturbing footage has emerged of bears being forced to box, walk like a human and spin around in the air on hoops during a cruel circus show in China. 

Video shows two moon bears with boxing gloves strapped around their paws while a clown referees their fight in front of an audience in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang.

Handlers can be seen pulling on metal leads tied around their necks as the bewildered animals attack each other, standing on their hind legs. 

At the end of the fight, the clown yanks one of the bear’s leads back as a handler tries to take the gloves off. The second bear, meanwhile, is forced to jump over metal hurdles while loud music plays. 

Later in the distressing film, a terrified bear clings onto hanging hoops – of the kind normally used by gymnasts – before being hoisted high into the air and spun around in a circle. 

Disturbing footage has emerged of bears being forced to box (pictured), walk like a human and spin around in the air on hoops during a cruel circus show in China

A terrified bear clings onto hanging hoops – of the kind normally used by gymnasts – before being hoisted high into the air and spun around in a circle

Their torment does not end there and further footage shows them performing roly-polies, riding scooters (pictured) and dancing before they are finally taken off stage

Their torment does not end there and further footage shows them performing roly-polies, riding scooters (pictured) and dancing before they are finally taken off stage

The bears are forced to jump over metal hurdles while loud music plays during the performance

The bears are forced to jump over metal hurdles while loud music plays during the performance

Its legs pedal around as it swings helplessly above the circus stage. The footage does not appear to show any safety harness attached. 

Their torment does not end there and further footage shows them performing roly-polies, riding scooters and dancing before they are finally taken off stage.

The video, captured by French animal rights activist Thomas Gainard, also shows a goat with a monkey sitting on its back being forced to climb up a ladder and along a narrow metal bar.

It shows a goat perched on a small circular prop on top of the bar while the monkey it is chained to performs a headstand on its horns.

The final scenes shows eight tigers in a fenced-off ring alongside baton-waving handlers. 

A handler dressed as a clown watches on as a bear clambers over plastic chairs in the circus ring

A handler dressed as a clown watches on as a bear clambers over plastic chairs in the circus ring

Video shows two moon bears with boxing gloves strapped around their paws while a clown referees their fight in front of an audience in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang

Video shows two moon bears with boxing gloves strapped around their paws while a clown referees their fight in front of an audience in the Chinese province of Heilongjiang

The video, captured by French animal rights activist Thomas Gainard, also shows a goat with a monkey sitting on its back  being forced to climb up a ladder and along a narrow metal bar (pictured)

The video, captured by French animal rights activist Thomas Gainard, also shows a goat with a monkey sitting on its back being forced to climb up a ladder and along a narrow metal bar (pictured)

The final scenes shows eight tigers in a fenced-off ring alongside baton-waving handlers

The final scenes shows eight tigers in a fenced-off ring alongside baton-waving handlers

Gainard, 30, said the whole 50 yuan (£5.50) performance lasted 45 minutes and was played out in front of 20 people.  

He said: ‘We had no idea what to expect, other than it being an animal circus and knowing how the performers are taught how to do the tricks. 

‘The advertisement for the show was this: A boxing kangaroo, a chimpanzee, a white tiger and a brown bear doing hula hoops, there was none of that.

‘We are not sure why, we tried to look if they had any of these animals hidden away in cages after the show but couldn’t find any. 

‘We can only assume that the winter show is much shorter and with less diversity than the summer show when there are more tourists.

‘Instead, this is what we witnessed, this first video is about the two moon bears they forced to perform. Other acts were from Dogs, a Goat/Monkey duo and as expected Tigers. All of them were very clearly scared of getting beaten up or, were abused during the show.’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk