A 600lb circus bear turned on its owner during a performance, shocking the audience and leaving children screaming in terror.
In a shocking event at a circus, a massive 600-pound bear named Yashka turned violent during a performance, attacking its handler while children screamed in fear.
The incident occurred in a small circus in Olonets, Russia, and was caught on video by several audience members.
Giant 600lb circus bear takes revenge on its owner in chilling footage
Yashka, a 16-year-old Russian bear, had been part of the Anshlag traveling circus.
During a routine act, the bear was supposed to cart a wheelbarrow as part of a playful performance.
However, something seemed to trigger a change in Yashka’s behavior.
Witnesses reported that the atmosphere in the circus tent was tense. The bright lights and loud music may have contributed to the bear’s agitation.
Suddenly, Yashka stopped performing and lunged at his handler, Ruslan Solodyuk, biting his arm. This unexpected attack caused panic among the audience.
Circus bear attacks its handler
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Audience is terrified after witnessing the chilling moment
As soon as the bear attacked, children and parents in the audience began to scream and flee the tent.
Many were horrified by the sight of the bear gnawing on its handler.
One mother, Galina Gurieva, expressed her shock, stating, “My knees are still trembling.”
She felt that there should have been a safety barrier to protect spectators from the bear.
Another parent said: ‘The spectators rushed outside in panic, including me.’
One more visitor posted: “It was an enormous bear, and they lost control of him.’
Another said: “At first, for a few seconds, while recording the video, everyone thought it was a script.
“But when the assistant started kicking the bear and pulled out the shocker, the panic started.
“People got up and ran to the exit.”
However, as the situation escalated and the bear’s aggression became clear, panic spread through the crowd.
People rushed toward the exits, trying to escape the chaos.
Yashka the bear launched a violent attack.
Despite attempts by circus staff to intervene, Yashka continued to attack Solodyuk.
Circus workers kicked at the bear and tried to pull the handler away, but the bear was relentless.
It took several moments before the situation calmed down, even after the bear was given an electric shock to subdue it.
One father in the audience remarked, “We expected to see cute acts, but instead, we saw a terrifying display.”
Many attendees were left shaken by the experience, questioning the safety measures in place at the circus.
The incident prompted an immediate investigation.
Ruslan Solodyuk later claimed that Yashka was not feeling well and that the bear was on its final tour.
He asserted that the bear had never shown aggression before and suggested that age-related issues and joint pain might have contributed to the attack.
Lyudmila Misnik, the circus manager, stated that the audience’s behavior had provoked the bear.
She claimed that spectators ignored requests to turn off their phone flashes while taking pictures, which may have stressed Yashka further.
This incident raises important questions about animal welfare in circuses.
Bears have long been a feature of Russian circuses, often subjected to harsh training methods.
Critics argue that wild animals should not be forced to perform tricks for entertainment. Captured bears are frequently kept chained and face stressful conditions.
As discussions about animal rights continue, many hope this incident will lead to greater awareness of the treatment of circus animals.
The public reaction to this event may influence how circuses operate in the future.