A circus mountain lion who was chained to a truck for 20 years finally gets his freedom

Mufasa, a circus mountain lion, was found in Peru malnourished, abused, and chained to the back of a pick-up truck.

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For 20 horrible years, this majestic creature was forced to perform and live like a slave. Animal Defenders International (ADI) believe he was likely kidnapped and sold in an illegal expotic pet trade as a cub, where he would spend 20 years being carted from village to village to perform.

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“It was heartbreaking to see Mufasa chained among the circus equipment, living on the back of a pickup truck,” said Jan Creamer, president of ADI, “A heavy harness and chains were wrapped around his body and as we cut them away, he stretched, free, for the first time.”

Creamer called Mufasa’s situation “the most sad, wretched thing that you’ve ever seen.” “It was like he wasn’t even alive,” she continued.

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Peru has banned circuses in 2011 from forcing animals to perform. ADI has been working tirelessly on shutting down illegal circuses ever since.

Mufasa was freed in early 2015 after an 8-hour standoff when his disgusting captors realized they weren't going to win this fight.

After his rescue, Mufasa was transferred to ADI’s Spirit of Freedom rescue center in Lima, Peru.

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He's very skittish around people from the years of abuse.

“His appetite and coat condition have improved after receiving specialist veterinary treatment,” ADI reports.

“Mufasa was torn from the wild and has endured the worst possible life,” Creamer said. “[His] story symbolizes the suffering we have ended.”

Mufasa is just one of nearly 100 animals, including birds, monkeys, tigers, bears, and lions, that have been rescued from circuses. “It is magical to see him moving about in and out of the trees in his own piece of protected forest,” Creamer said.

He is slowly getting better each day, and we hope he finds the peace and happiness in his last years he deserves.

See the video below. If you want to help donate to Mufasa and ADI's fight for animals, you can do so here.