Luck came to Mufasa late in life, but thankfully, it did come. In 2015, the animal rights organization Animal Defenders International was able to get him released after several months of hard work. The organization found him when they it trying to shut down a whole Peruvian circus.

Experiencing freedom made a significant difference in Mufasa’s well-being. Instead of enduring a life filled with anxiety and oppression, he was granted the fundamental right that all wild animals deserve — to spend his final years in the embrace of nature, living on his own terms.

Mufasa’s rescue story is beautiful, and the video below shows his first step in freedom. It’s amazingly nice!

After being rescued from the circus, Mufasa had a few months of freedom before his health began to decline.

Being chained to the back of a pick-up truck for 20 years had taken its toll, leading to kidney failure and other age-related issues. He passed away in 2015, according to Animal Defenders International.

But his story continues to shed light on an important issue.

Mufasa was a magnificent, gentle creature who found joy in receiving back scratches. While it is saddening that he couldn’t enjoy more time in his natural habitat in the Amazon, it would have been a greater tragedy if he had never experienced freedom at all.

No animal deserves to be treated the way Mustafa was! Please share this video to show that you’re also on the side of animals!