A mountain lion named Mufasa, who spent 20 years in captivity as part of a Peruvian traveling circus, has finally been set free.
For most of his life, Mufasa was chained and confined to the back of a pick-up truck, surrounded by rusting circus equipment.
Despite a ban on using wild animals in circus performances in Peru, Mufasa’s situation went unnoticed as the circus moved from town to town.
His release came after a rescue operation involving riot police and a public prosecutor, who helped free the elderly lion from his chains.
From Animal Defenders International (ADI), Jan Creamer described the heartbreaking scene to the Daily Mirror, saying, “Mufasa was living on the back of a pick-up truck, chained with a heavy harness. When we finally cut them away, he stretched, free for the first time in years.”
Now, Mufasa roams in a protected forest where he can live in peace for the rest of his life. He is believed to be the last wild animal held by a circus in Peru.
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