Story By: Anastasia Smirnova, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
This is the heartbreaking footage of a large brown bear being kept in a tiny cage in Russia.
The caged bear was discovered in a settlement called Kamennomostsky in south-western Russia’s Republic of Adygea near the Khadzhokh canyon.
In the video, the brown bear (Ursus arctos) named Afanasiy can be seen pacing in a small metal cage, with the huge mammal struggling to turn between the tight bars.
Reports state the bear Afanasy was initially supposed to be a wedding gift but was then left in Adygea on the way to the wedding destination.
Local media initially reported that there was speculation the bear had tried to flee the cage and at some point even managed to dig a hole under the cage and set himself free, but this information turned out to be false.
The bear was reportedly first trapped in Kamennomostsky in autumn 2019.
The brown bear is found across much of northern Eurasia and North America. It typically grows to between 1.4 and 2.8 metres (4 feet 7 inches and 9 feet 2 inches) in length with an average weight for males of 217 kilogrammes (478 lbs).
It is unclear if the authorities are investigating.
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