I love animals, and no creature belongs chained in the back of a pickup truck — especially not a full-grown mountain lion.
Yet that was the reality for Mufasa, who spent 20 years living like that as part of a traveling circus in Peru. His life was one of abuse and exploitation, all for entertainment and profit.
Thankfully, in 2015, Animal Defenders International rescued him after months of effort to shut down the circus. Mufasa finally experienced the freedom he deserved, spending his last months surrounded by nature.
Sadly, years of mistreatment had taken a toll. Mufasa died from kidney failure later that year. But his story continues to highlight the cruelty many animals still face in circuses, zoos, and shows.
Mufasa was a gentle, majestic creature who loved back scratches. Though his time in the wild was brief, it was a gift — and a reminder of the life all animals deserve.