Bullfighting
A spectacle in which people confront a bull in an arena, in several styles across Spain, Portugal, southern France and Latin America.
Also: corrida de toros, tauromachy, tauromaquia
Bullfighting takes several forms. In the Spanish corrida, held in Spain, southern France and parts of Latin America, matadors and their teams fight bulls of the toro de lidia breed through set stages, usually ending with the bull's death. In Portugal the bull is fought from horseback and then held by a team of forcados, and is not killed in the ring. In the course camarguaise of Provence, raseteurs try to snatch rosettes from the bull's horns and the bull is not harmed. Supporters see bullfighting as art and heritage; opponents object on animal welfare grounds. Some regions and cities have banned it, while others protect it by law.