These shocking pictures show a young bear being chained to a tree and attacked by dogs as part of a baiting competition to hone hunting skills in Yakutsk , eastern Russia . The controversial contest , held in the forests of the diamond-rich Sakha Republic , is celebrated in the region as a way of recognising the best canine bear hunter . Attacks by brown bears on humans are a danger in many parts of Russia , particularly at this time of the year as they awake hungry following the long winter hibernation . Brutal game : The picture shows a young bear chained to a tree while several dogs undergo 'hunting training ' with the predator . Under attack : Masha , a five-year-old bear , can be seen attacked by a number of dogs as she is chained to the tree by her neck . Tradition : Once the dogs have found their way to Masha , they have to bark as loudly as they can with their cajoling scored out of 100 points . Many have to be killed when they encroach into built-up areas looking for food , often with dogs trained to stalk them in order for hunters to shoot them . But the images of the five-year-old chained up bear being attacked and bitten are likely to anger animal rights and anti-hunting groups in the West . In Russia , hunting of many kinds is a respected and mainstream activity and such contests as shown on these pictures raise few eyebrows . The pictures were taken by photo-journalist Spiridon Sleptsov during a visit to the Bayanay Hunting Club , near Yakutsk , where he captured competitors taking part in the 6th Republican contest to find the best individual hunting dog , and the best pairing of dogs , reported The Siberian Times . The 'sporting event ' sees the dogs released about 100 metres ( 330ft ) away from the bear , and they have to rely on scents and traces of the animal to find it within two minutes . Once they have found their target chained to the tree , the dogs have to bark as loudly , and as menacingly , as they can with their cajoling scored out of 100 points . The more fearsome the harassment , and the greater the number of bites on the bear , the higher the score for the dog . Face to face : Masha the bear growls at one of the dogs she faces during the cruel 'hunting competition ' near Yakutsk , eastern Russia . Dog training : The 'sporting event ' sees the dogs released some 330ft away from Masha and they have to rely on scents and traces of the bear to find it within two minutes . Having fun ? : The dog owners said Masha has been used in the 'hunting contests ' for a number of years , even claiming she enjoys them and has grown to understand the dogs . The pictures were taken by photo-journalist Spiridon Sleptsov during a visit to the Bayanay Hunting Club , near Yakutsk , . Mr Sleptsov said : 'Ideally after bursting into a loud bark the dog must attack the beast from behind , constantly twisting it around , thereby keeping the bear in one place and giving the hunter an idea of where to go . 'Rating the work in pairs took into account the coherence and mutual assistance between them . 'If only one of the dogs attacked the bear actively , the score was reduced and if the second dog did not pay attention to bear at all , the pair was disqualified . ' The dogs also have to show how well they can stop a bear from running away , replicating what would happen in the wild if they were waiting for a hunter to come and kill it . The photographer added : 'It was rather hard to calm the over-heated dogs . 'Seeing that their owner was approaching , the dog began to bark at the beast with renewed energy and it took a lot of effort to pull them back from the bear . ' Cruel : The dogs ' owners stand ready to leash their animals after they have had their go at 'hunting ' Masha . Just within reach : The young bear reaches out in an attempt to get hold of a white dog . All over ? Masha the bear appears to have decided to take a time out from the fighting , seemingly lying down on her back . Unusually warm weather across Russia has prompted bears to awake from hibernation early with warnings that they could attack people as they forage for food . A number of sightings of the animals has been made in parts of Siberia and the Far East in recent weeks , much earlier than normal . In the southern Siberian region of Tuva - where about 3,500 bears live - two men were savagely attacked , suffering serious head and arm injuries , with one of them losing an eye . It is thought that the dogs taking part in the competition in Yakutsk were not experienced hunting animals but were instead only there for 'sporting purposes ' . The bear , called Masha , has been used in the contests for a number of years with claims she enjoys them and has grown to understand the dogs . Mr Sleptsov said : 'To aggressive dogs capable of painful bite , Masha 's attitude was different . 'Despite her apparent slowness , her attacks , like any wild animal , were extremely sharp and unexpected . 'To be fair , it should be noted that in all the years of holding such events , no dog has been injured by her paws and teeth . '
Bear seen chained to a tree for baiting competition to hone dogs ' hunting skills in eastern Russia . Comment: Hunting contest is celebrated in the region as a way of recognising the best canine bear hunter .