These shocking pictures show a young bear being chained to a tree and attacked by dogs as part of a baiting competition to hone hunting skills in Yakutsk, eastern Russia.
Brutal game: The picture shows a young bear chained to a tree while several dogs undergo ‘hunting training’ with the predator
Under attack: Masha, a five-year-old bear, can be seen attacked by a number of dogs as she is chained to the tree by her neck
Tradition: Once the dogs have found their way to Masha, they have to bark as loudly as they can with their cajoling scored out of 100 points
Many have to be killed when they encroach into built-up areas looking for food, often with dogs trained to stalk them in order for hunters to shoot them.
The more fearsome the harassment, and the greater the number of bites on the bear, the higher the score for the dog.
Face to face: Masha the bear growls at one of the dogs she faces during the cruel ‘hunting competition’ near Yakutsk, eastern Russia
Dog training: The ‘sporting event’ sees the dogs released some 330ft away from Masha and they have to rely on scents and traces of the bear to find it within two minutes
Having fun?: The dog owners said Masha has been used in the ‘hunting contests’ for a number of years, even claiming she enjoys them and has grown to understand the dogs
The pictures were taken by photo-journalist Spiridon Sleptsov during a visit to the Bayanay Hunting Club, near Yakutsk,
‘Seeing that their owner was approaching, the dog began to bark at the beast with renewed energy and it took a lot of effort to pull them back from the bear.’
Cruel: The dogs’ owners stand ready to leash their animals after they have had their go at ‘hunting’ Masha
Just within reach: The young bear reaches out in an attempt to get hold of a white dog
All over? Masha the bear appears to have decided to take a time out from the fighting, seemingly lying down on her back