While no laws protect animals from sexual harassment, public protests organised by Animals Asia’s partner have led to a management u-turn.

A travelling circus in Indonesia has promised to end the sexual harassment of a sun bear carried out during its cruel animal performances.

The sun bear called Bimo was made to do pull ups while the trainer grabbed his genitals on stage in a bawdy display of animal cruelty for entertainment.

Animals Asia’s Animal Welfare Director Dave Neale said:

“Animal circuses are notoriously cruel, but this particular outrage brought animal welfare advocates out on to the streets to demonstrate their disgust.

“While we welcome the circus’ decision to end this particular form of abuse, we urge them to go further and end the suffering of Bimo and all the animals at the circus. Bimo should be sent to a sanctuary immediately where his needs will come first while facilities are already waiting for the rescue and re-release of the dolphins.”

Animal performance is legal in Indonesia although the country’s last circus exclusively using land animals ceased operating at the end of 2018.

Sadly, travelling circuses featuring aquatic animals continue to operate, many of which also include some land animals in their shows.

The Wersit Seguni Indonesia circus, which continues to force Bimo to perform, predominantly features dolphins.

Investigations into Wersit Seguni Indonesia circuses have shown dolphins to be housed in utterly unsuitable conditions. They are kept in tiny, chlorinated pools and have no opportunities to express natural behaviours.

The dolphins are regularly transported by truck and even by plane as the circus travels around the Indonesian archipelago.

The stress of performance and travel is causing the animals to die at only around five years old, while in the wild they can be expected to live up to 50. When an animal dies, tragically, they are replaced like commodities as new dolphins are simply poached from the wild for the shows to continue.

Marison Guciano, Director of FLIGHT Indonesia, who organised the protests under the banner of the Movement to End Animals Circuses Indonesia, said:

“Our demand is that this circus must be closed. As long as animal circuses are allowed to continue operating in Indonesia, animal abuse and cruelty will also continue. Indonesia needs to implement laws to end these activities if they are to be taken seriously on animal welfare and tackling wildlife crime.”

Animals Asia funds FLIGHT Indonesia’s work to expose animal cruelty and trafficking and has opposed Indonesia’s travelling dolphin circuses, known as “Sirkus Lumba-lumba”, since 2017.

Nearly 40,000 people signed a petition asking Sriwijawa Air to end their cruel dolphin flights, but the airline ignored public calls for compassion.

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