This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada, which closed in 2021.

Russian Models Pose With Massive Bear For Anti-Hunting Cause

We just can't BEAR this.

This Russian photoshoot is so bizarre we cannot bear it. Heh.

Models Maria Sidorova and Lidia Fetisova get awfully close to a 1,433-pound bear in a shoot for an anti-hunting campaign.

The snaps were shot by photographer Olga Barantseva in a forest just outside Moscow.

They show Sidorova and Fetisova climbing on top of the bear, named Stephen, posing below him as he sits on a bed, and even spooning with the ursine creature.

"We wanted to show the natural harmony between humans and bear," Barantseva said.

Stephen was found in the possession of hunters by owner Yuriy Panteleenko when the bear was three months old, The Daily Mail reported.

The bear had become separated from its mother. He raised Stephen before leaving him in the care of a circus trainer, and the bear would go on to appear in major Russian films such as "Tsar."

Sidorova said of working with Stephen, "In the beginning I was frightened, but as soon as I hugged him I felt his warmth and how soft his fur was."

Follow Huffington Post Canada Style on Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter!

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Canada. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.