Mountain lion rescued from Peruvian circus (video)

A mountain lion that was kept chained to the back of a circus truck in Peru has been freed after 20 years.

Mufasa was rescued by Animal Defenders International (ADI) and wildlife officials in Peru after an eight hour stand off with the circus, Riviera Maya News reports.

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As the footage shows, the wild animal was kept in a metal harness amongst old and rusty circus equipment in the back of a pick-up truck where he was chained to metal bars.

According to ADI, Peru has a ban on using wild animals in circuses but this establishment is thought to have been 'on the run' from law enforcement and moving between remote villages.

It's also believed that Mufasa was the last wild animal to be held in Peruvian circuses.

Jan Creamer is president of ADI and led the rescue team, in a statement on their website he said: "It was heartbreaking to see Mufasa chained among the circus equipment, living on the back of a pickup truck. A heavy harness and chains were wrapped around his body and as we cut them away, he stretched, free, for the first time."

Adding: "It is magical to see him moving about in and out of the trees in his own piece of protected forest. Mufasa was torn from the wild and has endured the worst possible life and will need special care so I hope people will help us give him a wonderful retirement by making a donation today."

After the wild cat was rescued from his chains he was taken to a rehabilitation centre near Lima where he was nursed back to health.

The mountain lion underwent treatment from specialist vets who later said they thought he had been taken from the wild as a baby.

Mufasa was then taken to the Tambopata reserve in the Amazon rainforest where he will live from now on.