Circus performer attacked by 35-stone bear fights to escape.

Next on the agenda, a shocking incident unfolded at a circus show in Russia as a bear turned on her handler. Captured on camera by audience members, the footage shows the animal, known as Donut, lunging at her tamer and knocking him down in front of a crowd of families with young children. This all took place in Biysk, the second largest city in the Altai Republic, near the border with Kazakhstan.

Just moments before the unfortunate turn of events, Donut, weighing a massive 35 stone, was seen impressively riding a hoverboard. But what triggered her sudden aggression towards Sergei Prichinich, the handler, remains unknown. In the video, we see him struggling to break free from her grasp as she pins him down against the metal barrier separating the ring from the audience. Donut appears to be gnawing on the stick he held in his hand to control her, while the audience watches in horror.

Thankfully, despite the terrifying ordeal, Prichinich managed to remain calm and avoid any tragedy. A circus official even poked another stick at Donut through the barrier, miraculously causing her to lose interest and obediently walk away with the handler as if nothing had happened. It was a moment of relief for the onlookers, who had been watching in shock as the tamer fought to break free.

"The performance continued," confirmed a spokesperson for the Moretti Circus. Director Nikita Mikhailov later explained, "Towards the end of the act, the bear snapped at Sergei and wrestled with him." He reassured that Prichinich "did not resist on purpose" and instead chose to wait for Donut to calm down. He then got up, continued the routine with her, sealed it all with a kiss, and the show carried on as usual. Both the trainer and the bear were unharmed.

Mikhailov also addressed the nature of animals in circus shows, stating, "This is an animal, and they can behave differently. They may not like something, and this is how they express their emotions. Every trainer understands this." Animal circus shows have a long history in Russia and continue to be popular, despite facing criticism in recent years for potential exploitation and abuse.

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