Ever since I was little, I could never understand the concept of a circus. Snatching wild animals from their natural habitat for the sole purpose of entertaining humans is one of the cruelest things in the world.
Yet, even today some people still support such establishments. For a few bucks, they will come and point their fingers at wild animals who would rather be anywhere else in the world.
Now imagine yourself chained up for 20 years to an old, rusty pickup truck and showcased to thousands of people.
This was the life of Mufasa, a mountain lion who spent the majority of his life in a roadside circus.
Mufasa was snatched from the forest when he was just a cub, separated from his mom and his siblings. He grew up surrounded by people who crushed his spirits, health, and his wild side.
When Animal Defenders International learned about Mufasa’s story, they made it their mission to rescue the poor soul. Together with local police officers, they came to free Mufasa from his chains.
With the president of ADI Jan Creamer leading the mission, a dedicated team of rescuers, removed Mufasa from the old pickup truck.
When I said earlier that Mufasa’s spirit was crushed, the poor soul was not even resisting when they placed him in a transport cage. He was so used to chains and cages, that this seemed like just another day in his life.
However, little did he know this cage was about to be his last one. Mufasa had a long journey ahead of him, as the ADI planned to bring him to one of their sanctuaries located miles away.
Releasing Mufasa back into the wild was sadly not an option, as he would not be able to survive on his own.
After almost two days of traveling, Mufasa finally reached his final destination. For the first time in his life, heavy chains were not dragging behind him.
Rescuers opened his cage, releasing him into acres of forest. At first, Mufasa was confused by his new surroundings and he took it slow.
However, once he realized he was free the sweet boy started stretching and exploring the forest. Finally free to run and enjoy nature, Mufasa was safe and sound thanks to the amazing team from ADI.
Sadly, his freedom lasted only a couple of months. Animal Defenders International announced that Mufasa passed away, as shared on their Facebook:
“We are sorry to bring the sad news that Mufasa the mountain lion has passed away, after a few months of freedom after being rescued from the circus. 20-year-old Mufasa’s life being chained to the back of a pick-up truck had damaged his health and he was suffering with kidney failure and other age-related problems.”
When I learned that Mufasa only enjoyed his freedom for a couple of months, I was devastated. Then I thought about what would have happened if ADI never rescued him.
The poor boy would face his last days in that old pickup truck, never experiencing what true love and freedom feel like.
I’m beyond grateful for organizations like ADI, and I hope they will free every wild animal suffering the same fate as Mufasa.