A Spanish matador wiped away blood from a bull's face before he killed the badly injured animal in a gesture described as 'malicious and perverse' by an animal rights group - while others have called it 'respectful'.

Morante de la Puebla was taking part in a bullfighting festival at the Real Maestranza bullring in the city of Seville in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia when the incident took place.

The 39-year-old is seen pulling out a handkerchief with his blood-soaked hand to clean the dying bull.

Matador Morante de la Puebla wipes away the blood from a badly wounded bull's face before killing it. The incident occurred at a bullfighting festival at the Real Maestranza bullring in Seville

The Spaniard's gesture has been described as 'malicious and perverse' by an animal rights group - while bullfighting fans say that it shows his respect for the animal

Bullfighting: Integral part of Spain's culture or animal cruelty? On the one hand, traditionalists say bullfighting is an integral part of the Spanish culture and heritage - while the opposite view is that it is cruel, degrading to the animals and should be banned. It is part of the bullfighting procedure that the matador first taunts the beast with his cape and then with sharp swords, which are stuck into the animal to anger it. Finally, the matador kills the animal with a thrust into its neck to honour its bravery. Some parts of Spain have banned this final act but not Seville. Social network followers said they felt 'sick' at watching the Morante de la Puebla incident while others were reduced to tears. Advertisement

The animal is seen with four spiked 'banderillas' sticking out of its back before the final death act takes place.

Footage of the moment has been shared on Twitter and viewed 2.3million times.

Bullfighting fans considered the gesture as a sign of respect for the animal - but commenters on social media and animal rights groups have slammed the incident.

Silvia Barquero Nogales, leader of Spain's Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (Pacma) political party, said: 'Only a malicious and perverse mind could torture an animal until the blood pours down its legs and then wipe its face with a tissue.

'The matador is just disguising for his lack of empathy. Abolish bullfighting now!'

Meanwhile, others commented online calling the matador 'sadistic', 'psychopathic' and 'hypocritical' as he went on to kill the bull moments later.

However, bullfighting fans said that de la Puebla was showing respect to the animal as other famous matadors have done in the past, such as Jose Gomez Ortega.

Land-based animals have the ability to produce tears to lubricate their eyes, although it is widely believed that only humans produce emotional tears.

The stricken beast has four spiked 'banderillas' sticking out of its back before the final death act takes place

Morante de la Puebla is pictured above in April. Silvia Barquero Nogales, leader of Spain's Animalist Party Against Mistreatment of Animals (Pacma) political party, said: 'Only a malicious and perverse mind could torture an animal until the blood pours down its legs and then wipe its face'