A heart-wrenching video of a grizzly bear struggling to escape as hunters shoot him to death has gone viral after a B.C. wildlife activist published the clip earlier this week.

The video shows a bloody grizzly running away from shots and sliding down the icy mountain as shot by trophy hunters who seemed to enjoy its death.

As the bear tumble to its death, one hunter even joked about not having to carry the carcass further.

The Canadian organization, Wildlife Defence League posted the video with an aim to end trophy hunting - where wild animals - often endangered are killed not for food but just for sport.

As of Thursday morning, the video has been viewed 1.5 million times, shared 28,235 times and received thousands of comments.

"BC's grizzly hunt is horrific and 80% of residents want it banned," the organization wrote in Facebook. "But as is often the case, the BC government ignores the scientific, economic, environmental and ethical arguments in support of such a ban."

"WDL has joined the fight to defend bears and other wildlife against trophy hunting and overhunting. Help us return to the field this fall, in defence of wildlife from exploitation like that seen in this video."

The organization provided this link for those who wanted to help.

Although the video is too graphic to watch, national non-profit animal protection group The Wilderness Committee says this would encourage discussions on trophy hunting.

"Three hundred grizzly bears are shot every year, most of them for fun like in that video," said Joe Foy, the group's national campaign director.

"After the hunting of Cecil [the lion] in Zimbabwe, the treatment of wildlife has come to the forefront. And people are now getting used to seeing the photos of dead wild animals," WDL campaign director Tommy Knowles told The Dodo. "But to see the video," he added, "it really shows how brutal it all is."