Letter: Panda starred in Chinese circus

JENNY GILBERT is wrong to say that circuses in China are all 100 per cent human ('Grand illusions', 18 April).

Tamed animal performances have been part of Chinese culture since the Tang dynasty, and the Shanghai circus features dogs, a chimpanzee, macaque monkeys and tigers. The star attraction was the routine presented by a giant panda. A similar animal was featured by the Chinese Circus tour of Canada a few years ago.

All-human Chinese and Russian circuses toured here are cited by animal rights activists as examples of 'enlightened' foreign attitudes to performing animals. This is misinformation.

David Hibling

Brighton