Tame bear
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A tame bear, often called a dancing bear, are wild born bears that were captured when the animals are young, though some of them are born and bred in captivity. In parts of the world like South Asia and the Middle East, poor people still use them for road side tourist attractions.
History
The first evidence of people taming bears is in the Indus Valley Civilization. Statues of bears suggests that they used them for entertainment purposes. Gypsies tamed bears in the Middle Ages, until the end of the 14th century and this practice continues in places such as India, Bulgaria and Siberia. Their acts are controversial to most Westerners, especially animal rights activists.
India
Indian gypsies continue to poach Sloth Bear cubs from jungles to raise them to dance for people. They put a nose ring and a metal muzzle on the bear's snout, which are attached to a staff which makes them dance. This causes great distress and pain to the bear's teeth, muzzle, nose, and mouth. Wildlife officers confiscate adult bears and cubs to send them to rescue centers located across India.
The Middle East
Gypsies from Saudi Arabia and Israel poached Syrian Brown Bear cubs from mountainous regions of Syria, Turkey, Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq. The tradition ended because of Islamic custom and belief.
Siberia
Siberian tribal peoples capture cubs for use as dancing bears. This practice continues through today.
Europe
Dancing bears were a common sight in Europe during the Middle Ages. All of Europe had dancing bears during the 13th century. The practice began fading in Western Europe by the 15th century, but remained alive in Eastern Europe until the 20th century as a vocation of the Ursari.