A polar bear in Russia may no longer be able to hunt in the wild after vile animal abusers daubed the name of a Soviet tank on its back.
The creature was discovered in the Russian Arctic by workers in a truck, who named the bear Misha.
Video footage shows the workers getting closer to the bear and asking why it’s so dirty:
The footage was apparently uploaded from the remote Chukotka region, however it’s unknown where it was actually filmed or who is responsible for daubing the large T-34 black markings on the animal’s right side.
At first, the people behind the camera question ‘why is it so dirty?’ before getting a closer look and deciding it’s ‘spotty’.
However, when the animal steps towards the vehicle they’re travelling in, the workers realise it is the name of the iconic Soviet tank sprayed om the side of the bear.
One of the theories circulating is that soldiers from a remote military base could have sprayed the animal, however it’s not clear how they would have managed to sedate the dangerous animal in a bid to get close enough to do the markings.
According to Anatoly Kochnev, senior researcher at Mammal Ecology Laboratory at the Institute of Biological Problems of the North, the polar bear may now suffer as a result of the cruel graffiti.
Kochnev told the The Siberian Times:
Scientists could not do this. It could have been somebody who ‘joked’ like this.
Kochnev explained the bear could now struggle when it comes to hunting prey, as the big black marking means he will no longer be able to hide against the white backdrop of the snow, and therefore will also be more visible to poachers.
The video has recently gone viral in Russia and scientists are working to discover where it was filmed.
T-34 is a Soviet medium tank that was introduced back in 1940 and was used in World War II, among many other battles.
German general Paul Ludwig branded it ‘the finest tank in the world’ back in 1941 due to its combination of firepower, mobility, protection and ruggedness.
If you have a story you want to tell send it to UNILAD via story@unilad.com
Emma Rosemurgey is an NCTJ trained Journalist who started her career by producing The Royal Rosemurgey newspaper in 2004, which kept her family up to date with the goings on of her sleepy north east village. She graduated from the University of Central Lancashire in Preston and started her career in regional newspapers before joining Tyla (formerly Pretty 52) in 2017, and progressing onto UNILAD in 2019.