Camilla Jessen
After two decades chained to the back of a truck, a Peruvian mountain lion named Mufasa was rescued and granted the dignity of freedom.
For 20 years, Mufasa lived tethered to the back of a rusty pickup truck, hidden behind the noisy spectacle of a traveling circus in Peru.
Instead of roaming forests, the full-grown mountain lion was confined to a metal platform, used as a prop in a life of forced performance.
For Mufasa, it was his daily reality for two decades.
In many parts of the world, wild animals are still locked away, caged, and trained through fear, all for the fleeting amusement of audiences.
A Rescue Long Overdue
Animal Defenders International (ADI), a non-profit organization dedicated to animal protection, had long been working to shut down illegal circuses across Peru.
In the process, they discovered Mufasa’s situation.
For months, they negotiated with authorities and circus operators before finally gaining custody of the big cat.
Video footage of the rescue shows Mufasa cautiously stepping onto the forest floor, touching the earth freely for the first time in years.
See the video here.
“It was heart-wrenching to see Mufasa chained to the back of a pickup truck,” said Jan Creamer, president of ADI. “He lived like that for 20 years—no freedom, no companionship, just the dark loneliness of captivity. But once we got him out, we saw him transform.”
A Short Chapter of Freedom
Tragically, Mufasa’s years of captivity had left their mark.
Mufasa spent his final months in a specially constructed enclosure on the edge of Peru’s Amazon rainforest.
Though he could never be released fully into the wild due to his failing health and lack of survival skills, he finally had a space to stretch, roam, and enjoy the shade of trees.
He grew fond of back scratches, a gentle reminder of the affection and care that had so long been absent from his life.
Unfortunately, the toll of years in captivity had done irreversible damage. Mufasa developed kidney failure and other complications linked to age and prolonged mistreatment.
He passed away later that same year.