A two-year-old tiger died in the Zapashny brothers’ circus

Roy, a two-year-old tiger, died in the Big Moscow Circus: he could not withstand anesthesia after being wounded. The general director of the circus – trainer Edgard Zapashnyi told about it.

According to Zapashny, recently Roy had a “small fight” with another tiger – and he bit his paw. The wounds did not heal well, and the specialists decided to put Roy into a drug-induced sleep in order to study the injuries in more detail. The tiger could not withstand the anesthesia and died, writes Zapashny.

Last time, Zapashny justified violence against animals by fighting tigers. In October, a video appeared online showing trainers beating tigers with sticks, knocking them down with a powerful jet of water, shooting and throwing heavy blocks at them. The trainers said that the video was spreading “zoo-shit” and that the tigers were beaten because they fought in the circus arena.

In response to the video, the State Duma introduced a bill prohibiting the use of animals in circuses – it was introduced again in February. Animal rights activists launched a petition in support of the bill. It was signed almost 105 thousand times.

Zoologist Sergey Kolchyn, with whom “Smola” spoke, explained that in nature tigers try to avoid serious physical collisions. Instead, they use scent marks, and in rare skirmishes they limit themselves to aggressive demonstrations: threatening poses and roars.

“In captivity, in conditions of changed behavior due to a strong concentration of animals and, first of all, limited living space, tigers often simply do not have the opportunity to retreat and disperse peacefully,” Kolchyn explained.

More than 40 countries have already abandoned the use of animals in circuses – partially or completely. Circuses still exist there: people participate in them of their own free will and consent.