Circus Lions Spend Eight Years In Captivity — Get Freed And Touch Grass For First Time

Aug 11, 2020 by apost team

Tanya and Tarzan are two lions that were born in a foreign country where they have spent most of their lives locked up in cages. In Guatemala, they were brought up and trained to perform for a circus show.

Luckily, the Animal Defenders International (ADI) organization came to their rescue and set the lions free. With time, the two lions had become fond of each other even after the circus owner mistreated them. Animal defenders tracked them down and freed them from the hands of their oppressors along with 15 other big cats, including tigers and other lions.

The living conditions of these two when they were locked up was very unappealing, and this was evident by the scars that the cats had. Tarzan’s health was worse than that of Tanya, and he seemed to have a broken jaw, according to The Dodo. The injuries on the two cats’ bodies would tell anyone the gravity of the torturous life they had for the last eight years.

The two lions were taken to the sanctuary for safekeeping before shipping them to their home in South Africa. At the ADI sanctuary, the lions would hesitate to leave the cage. However, after a while, they hopped out. To Tarzan, sinking his paws in the soil and getting to feel the grass was the best feeling since he had been caged for so long. Here, the lions had a lot of space to move around, or one would say, a taste of freedom. At the sanctuary, the vets discovered that Tarzan had a terrible infection of his teeth and conducted a quick procedure to try and save them. The dental procedure was successful, and they were able to keep Tarzan’s teeth, as The Dodo reports in its video.

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Tanya, Tarzan, and the other cats had to relocate to the ADI wildlife center in South Africa, where it was to be their permanent home. The journey before them was long and had multiple stops. They were to fly from Guatemala, Mexico, Belgium, Qatar, and South Africa, according to ADI's website. During all these flights, lavender oil was sprayed to the animals to keep them calm. On arrival at the reserve center, Tarzan was puzzled by the new environment he was to call home for the rest of his life because he was not familiar with the softness of the grass he was feeling in his paws. All he knew was a limited space with a hard floor. Tanya jumped out of her cage and hurriedly roamed around the confinement to make herself familiar with the new home.

A new home with a better living condition gave Tanya and Tarzan a fresh start in life. Playing all they want and a serene environment at the reserve might not make up for the lost eight years in captivity but would make their lives worth the while for the rest of their lives. When the video of Tanya and Tarzan's rescue was posted on social media, in less than two months, it has been viewed by over 1.5 million people, with thousands of likes and comments. The act of adopting animals and using them for the circus and mistreating them are among what was condemned by most people. Outrage roamed on social media towards the barbaric behavior toward the animals. Well, thanks to the ADI wildlife conservancy team, Tanya and Tarzan have a better life than they had before.

Were you moved by this touching story of Tanya and Tarzan's newfound freedom? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, then be sure to pass this story on to any animal lovers you know!