7 News Belize

Back to search results

Russian Grizzly Bear Headlines Circus
posted (November 2, 2009)

Last week the Moscow Circus made news after one of its tiger trainers was charged with harm for attacking another employee. But tonight, the news is the circus itself. Circus Moscow and its 87 member crew and performers along with 12 tigers, a giraffe, and a grizzly bear hail from Russia and boasts that it is the biggest circus that has ever come to Belize. Well, you know they talk a good talk, but we had to see it for ourselves...that’s what Keith Swift did on Saturday night.

Keith Swift Reporting,
The star of the show was “Macar” – this 5 year old, 250 pound grizzly bear from Russia. Were it not for the muzzle on his mouth you wouldn’t know that he was deadly because on Saturday night, he was playful.

The main event though were these eight Serbian tigers. Six of them were adults and 2 cubs. They were also the most risky act of the night – requiring a metal cage. But they seemed harmless as they stood on two legs, jumped through a circle of burning fire, and one of the adult white tigers was swung high up above the cage.

Woman #1,
“The tigers, I believe the tigers. They look so cute and so big and so cuddly.”

And while they came for the animals, most people say they stayed for the stunts.

[Video Montage of Stunts]

Keith Swift,
“What was your favourite part?”

Woman #2,
“The motorcycle. The one with the motorcycle, I enjoyed that more.”

Man #1,
“My favourite part was the motorcycles. That was amazing and also the tight rope, with the gentleman with the girl on the head.”

Woman #3,
“My kids and I we enjoyed it.”

Keith Swift,
“What was your favourite part?”

Woman #3,
“The tight rope.”

Man #2,
“Yeah I enjoyed it…the whole thing was good.”

And speaking of stunts, I became an unwitting – maybe even unwilling participant in one. The price to get into the circus is $22 and up. Martin Rios from Circus Moscow says that’s relatively cheap.

Martin Rios, Moscow Circus
“Maybe you feel it is expensive but everything is expensive in the world right now and it is only $22 for adults and $16 for children and if you exchange it to the American dollar it is not much. It is a reasonable price considering this circus comes all the way from Russia.”

And given the lines of Belizeans who were streaming into the circus on Saturday night, the price didn’t seem to matter.

The circus will be in Belize City for another 8 days. Thereafter, it moves into the districts.

Back to search results

Home | Archives | Downloads/Podcasts | Advertise | Contact Us

7 News Belize