Khaberni - After a series of unfortunate incidents in various places in circus shows in Egypt, the attacks of predatory animals within some shows have reopened the debate about their danger to the audience.
In the city of Tanta in Gharbia Governorate months ago, a circus worker was attacked by a tiger, resulting in the amputation of his arm in a shocking incident.
In another recent incident at the National Circus in the Al-Agouza area of Giza Governorate, a three-year-old girl was injured after being attacked by a lion cub while trying to take a commemorative photo with it.
These events and others pose an urgent question: Do predatory animals in circuses represent a real danger to the lives of the audience, or are what happens just isolated incidents that can be controlled?
Globally unacceptable
Dr. Sarah Attallah, head of the Scientific Center at the General Syndicate of Veterinarians in Egypt, told "Alarabiya.net" and "Alhadath.net" that circus shows featuring wild predatory animals are no longer globally acceptable from an animal welfare perspective, noting that this type of show has become almost nonexistent in many countries.
She explained that predatory animals by nature need wide environments that mimic their original habitat, while they are confined inside narrow cages within the circus, which conflicts with their natural instincts and negatively affects their behavior and mental health.
She added that the global trend is currently towards regulating the use of animals in entertainment shows, with greater reliance on domestic animals or modern alternatives, such as digital shows and visual technologies, which provide an element of spectacle without endangering humans or animals.
Sudden aggressive behavior
She affirmed that predatory animals remain subject to their natural instincts regardless of training, explaining that predatory behavior is an integral part of their makeup and cannot be completely eliminated, adding that "even with the best training methods, factors such as hunger, feeling threatened, or self-defense may prompt the animal to sudden aggressive behavior, posing a real threat to those around it."
She emphasized that relying on these animals in entertainment shows remains fraught with risks, especially given the difficulty in predicting their reactions, regardless of the extent of their taming.
Dr. Mohamed Al-Fiqi, a veterinarian, told "Alarabiya.net" and "Alhadath.net" that dealing with predatory animals in circus shows remains extremely dangerous, regardless of the level of their taming or training, confirming that the natural instinct of these animals cannot be fully eliminated.
Predatory nature
He clarified that predatory animals like lions and tigers are naturally predatory, and this is an innate instinct integral to their behavior, pointing out that what happens inside the circus is merely an attempt to control this instinct, not to eradicate it.
He added that these animals may appear calm and disciplined during shows, but in reality, they are under significant psychological pressure due to the unnatural environment they live in.
He noted that the methods of training predatory animals often rely on a mix of intimidation and motivation, along with controlling the timing and quantity of food, which compels the animal to respond to commands, but does not change its fundamental nature. He continued that these methods may succeed for periods, but they do not guarantee absolute control over the animal's behavior at all times.
He stressed that there are several factors that can lead to the sudden unraveling of an animal's behavior, such as feeling threatened, hunger, or stress, or even due to an unexpected action by someone around it, explaining that the animal in such cases may act according to its instinct without prior warning.
He emphasized that the most dangerous aspect is the difficulty in predicting the reactions of predatory animals, even for the trainers themselves, who may be attacked despite their extensive experience, saying: "In a single moment, the instinct may prevail, and the animal transforms from a tamed creature to a predator acting on its nature."
