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After 8 years of life in a cage, rescued circus lions touch grass for the first time
It was a touching and bittersweet moment.
Randy Aragon
07.31.20

Lions are majestical and powerful creatures, so seeing them in captivity is always such a sad thing. Especially when they’re in a circus and don’t even have grass to roam on. These two lions endured 8 long years without grass, before the special moment when they finally touched grass was caught on video.

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Tarzan and Tanya were rescued from the circus by Animal Defenders Incorporated

The president of the ADI Jan, and vice president Tim, went on a mission to Guatemala, determined to rescue as many circus animals as they could. They ended up rescuing 9 tigers and 2 lions, the lions had an extremely strong bond and were named Tarzan and Tanya.

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Their conditions at the circus were horrible, year after year, the lions were stuck in a cage only to unwillingly perform in inhumane circus shows. When Jan got closer to Tanya, she realized the lion was injured.

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Tanya’s lip was hanging off, she had been injured by a tiger while protecting Tarzan

When Tarzan got into a fight with the tigers, Tanya came to his defense demonstrating her love for her caged brother. Not only had Tanya been injured in the brawl, but Tarzan had also injured his tooth. So the ADI set out to nurse them back to health.

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Their mission was to get the lion duo as healthy as possible and send them to a beautiful sanctuary in South Africa where they could roam freely for the first time in 8 years.

The day after being rescued, the lions finally got to walk on grass for the first time in almost a decade

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When the big moment came, it was almost like Tarzan and Tanya didn’t even know what to do. Little did they know, they hadn’t even got to the good part but first they would have to get back to good health.

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Tarzan’s jaw was too injured to fix at their temporary home, so he was sent away to a veterinarian that could help him. Once healed, Tarzan returned back, and slowly the two lions started getting more comfortable.

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After a few weeks, Animal Defenders Incorporated decided it was time to introduce the lions to their new home

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That’s when the ADI began the long journey of transferring Tarzan and Tanya to their new forever home at a sanctuary in South Africa. They would now have a place to comfortably live out their lives together as a lion should. The best part, they made sure to keep the lions in the same enclosure in order not to disturb their bond.

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Animal lovers all over the internet fell in love with the two rescued lions, delighted at seeing the two beautiful creatures freed at last. One thing is for certain, no one was as happy as Tarzan and Tanya to see their new home.

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The video of Tarzan and Tanya’s rescue has been viewed over 1.4 million times, with 51,000 that have also liked it

Thousands of people also left comments for the ADI, and the lions they rescued. With the Coronavirus wreaking havoc, animals in need of rescue are often overlooked and need as much support as they can get.

Thanks to Animal Defenders Incorporated, these lions and countless other animals never have to live in an unhealthy environment again. If you want the help the ADI in their mission, just click this link.

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To see Tarzan and Tanya rescued from the circus, watch the video below!

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