A black bear suddenly attacked the audience during a live show at the Hangzhou Safari Park in Zhejiang Province, China, causing panic. The incident instantly went viral on social media. Park authorities said that the bear got overly excited after smelling the large bag of carrots and apples being carried by the trainer. So it jumped at the trainer. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Moment of the Attack
The video shows two trainers leading two black bears towards the stage. While one of the bears was walking normally, the other suddenly jumped on the trainer.
He threw him to the ground and ran towards the bag of food. The trainer tried desperately to move himself. At the same time, the audience kept capturing the whole scene in amazement.
Desperate Efforts of the Staff
The situation quickly became complicated, but the staff took immediate action. They tried to get the bear away using anything they could find: basketball hoops, sticks, stools. One of them was even seen holding a parrot in one hand and pulling the bear in the other.
The trainer struggled to move away, but the bear lunged at him again. Finally, with the help of some staff, the bear was taken backstage.
Park Authorities’ Explanation
Hangzhou Safari Park said the bear’s behavior was entirely dependent on the smell of food. Trainer Zhou Jiazhen said the bear’s name was Xiong Er, and he didn’t want to attack. “Actually, he just wanted a bag of carrots,” he said.
However, Xiong Er has been removed from all future performances for safety reasons. He will now be housed in a larger area on the mountain.
Controversy and Online Reaction
The incident has sparked a new debate over the ethics of animal shows. Many netizens claimed that putting on a show with wild animals puts them under unusual stress. Some said the bear’s behavior showed it was not fit to be there.
Another commented that it was an unwise decision for the trainer to repeatedly take risks and approach the bear. Another user joked by saying that he went to fight the bear with a parrot.
Meanwhile, the park quickly released a statement after the incident came to light, saying that neither the trainer nor the bear was injured. While the incident appeared to be a sudden act of violence, it was not an attack but rather a food-induced reaction. The park subsequently removed the bear from all future exhibits for safety reasons.
Watch the video here.
@aljazeeraenglish Video shows the moment a black bear attacked its keeper during a show at Hangzhou Safari Park in China’s #Zhejiang province. #news
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