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With their friend at risk of drowning, this incredible footage shows white tigers breaking from circus cruelty to show their concern.

It’s the movie which has convinced 29 million Chinese viewers that these tigers were not born to perform – they do so under duress, not because they enjoy it.

During a routine tiger performance at an animal circus in Hangzhou Safari Park, a rare White Tiger can be seen refusing to perform.

After clenching the ringmaster’s whip in his jaws, the tiger is whipped and threatened, forcing him to back off and accidently stumble into a moat surrounding the ring.

With one tiger at risk of drowning, the others immediately break from their circus performance to try to attend to their friend. Their concern is clear.

The ringmasters attempt to break up the tigers using whips and shouts leaves the long-suffering animals clearly torn between avoiding the whips and helping their stricken friend.

In the latter part of the video, released on Chinese social media by a concerned citizen, one of the tigers is seen with a wound on their face, possibly as a result of the incident.

Animals Asia’s Animal Welfare Director Dave Neale said:

“The video clearly shows the tigers empathising with the plight of their peer. They know he is in trouble and needs help and they want to give it to him. They are torn between their training with its threat of violence and their natural sympathy for another tiger in danger.” 

As a result of the sustained criticism caused by the video, Hangzhou Safari Park has suspended their tiger performances pending a review of their practices.

Unlike the tigers in the video, we have a choice. Choose to help. Pledge never to watch an animal performance and tell everyone you know to do the same. 

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