Russian Bear Becomes Pensioner

Bear named Portos hardly ever appeared on a circus arena lately. Although, when it happens, hundreds of people watch him performing very attentively. The age of the bear is 27 years, which is equal to 84 years for a human being. Bear Portos is the most honorable pensioner of the Omsk circus. The tough schedule of daily training is not meant for Portos anymore. Every morning, when he wakes up in his personal cage, he watches his younger “colleagues” doing their best in the training routine. The personal cage is like a den to Portos.

Animal trainer Grant Ibragimov has been working with bears for more than thirty years already. As he says, Portos is his favorite of all. They have been to almost every country of the world throughout 25 years of circus activities. No other bear managed to perform the way that Portos did. He was the best in jumping, expressive boogie-woogie dancing, making hundreds of spectators applaud non-stop for minutes.

Two years ago Portos was not able to perform anymore. It was time to make the animal a pensioner. Usually, trainers send their animals to rest in zoos. However, it was decided to make Portos an exception. Grant Ibragimov sent a petition to the Russian State circus department, in which he asked to let Portos stay in the circus of Omsk and to provide a personal pension to his bear. It hardly ever happens so, but Moscow officials decided to uphold the request. Now the aging bear lives in the Omsk circus at the expense of the state.