Circus Bear Spends Entire Life In A Cage Before Selfless Heroes Decide They Must Help
Many countries have banned circuses from having wild animals in the big top, and while this is a step in the right direction, it leaves the fate of current animal residents unclear. This was the case for one bear who was living at a circus, held in a small concrete enclosure its whole life. When one rescue group heard about this story, they wanted to set this animal free. What they didn't know was that they were about to start a serious battle...
Meet Napa
A bear named Napa spent his whole life only knowing cages and concrete. Although he was originally born in a zoo, where he was able to roam within a vast enclosure, fate had other plans in store for the poor bear...
Forced Into The Spotlight
Napa was sold to a Serbian circus called Corona. At an age when other young bears would be exploring nature or at the very least their zoo enclosures, Napa was forced to perform tricks in front of a very large and loud crowd.
Confined To A Cage
It's unclear exactly what life at the circus was like, because in 2009 Serbia banned the use of wild animals in their shows. Since the circus no longer needed him, he was forced to spend his days in a small cage.
Four Paws
Though Napa didn't know it yet, he wasn't as alone in the world as it seemed. FOUR PAWS, an international animal welfare charity that focuses on sustainable solutions for wild animals in need, heard about Napa's conditions and just had to take action.
Slim Chance Of Rescue
Volunteers knew they needed legal help in order to relieve Napa from his inhumane life. They sought aid from local officials, but they also knew that the odds of rescuing him were slim indeed.
Back In Isolation
Finally, in October 2016, FOUR PAWS and local officials were able to confiscate Napa from the Corona Circus grounds. But due to lack of long-term facilities, Napa had to be placed in temporary holding at the Palic Zoo in Serbia.
Finally Free?
It wasn't until early July 2018, nearly two years later, that FOUR PAWS was able to provide Napa with a permanent home, a home that could provide him with the best and most natural life possible. But getting Napa to this new home would be harder than anyone knew.
Bringing Him Home
Rescuers worked tirelessly with the Arosa Bear Foundation, the founder of a brand new bear sanctuary located in Switzerland, to complete the mission. Napa was going to become its very first resident, but the journey to bring him home wasn't going to be easy...
The Long Journey
Veterinarians sedated him and then transported Napa to the bear ambulance where he would travel for 28 hours and nearly 870 miles by van and cable-car. The trip was challenging enough to stress out even the most adventurous human, let alone one very scared little bear.
Finally Treated Well
Even so, Napa was treated better on this trip than he ever had been. While traveling to his forever home, Napa was provided with an air-conditioned ambulance and had scheduled veterinarian checks along the way. However, that didn't stop the rescue team from running into problems.
A Conundrum
Napa was in the last leg of the trip when rescue crews ran into a slight problem. They needed to figure out how to transport Napa's 1,200-pound crate from the ambulance to the cable car. They'd need a superhero to carry something so heavy!
They Figured It Out
Napa had come so far and the crew was not going to give up. Bear expert Carsten Hertwig of FOUR PAWS said, “Transporting [him] from the bear ambulance to the gondola was a logistical masterpiece. I am very happy that everything went so well.”
Baby Steps
Napa's rigorous trip was complete when he had finally arrived at the Arosa Bear Sanctuary in Switzerland on July 4, 2018. He was placed in an adaptation enclosure so that he could see his new home without being overwhelmed.
Napa's First Bath!
He was provided with lots of love and treats consisting of fruits, vegetables, and meat. He was also showered down with a hose, a first for this bear who had been neglected for so long.
Ready For Release
As Napa looked around, he was curious and finally at peace in his new home surrounded by the breathtaking Arosa Mountains. In no time, Napa was comfortable and ready to be released from his adaptation enclosure.
Brand New World
Napa stepped out to explore his new home which provided over an acre of land just for him. The sanctuary was filled with slopes, trees, and ponds for his enjoyment. We can't begin to imagine how exciting it must have been for the bear who'd spent his whole life in a cage!
Finally Having Fun
Something that Napa now loves to do is go swimming in his own personal pond. He can be seen entering the pond and then joyfully splashing around below. He's definitely making up for all the time he lost in that cage!
No Longer Alone
The Arosa Bear Sanctuary officially opened in early August of 2018. It is a three-hectare site containing species-appropriate enclosures and room for up to five bears. Looks like Napa won't be the only bear in town for much longer!
Learn About Animal Welfare
Napa and the other bears have given the Arosa Bear Foundation hope. Their sanctuary offers visitors and tourists a place to become educated on animal welfare and nature conservation topics.
The Brave Bear
Although Napa's life did not start out under the best conditions, he has helped shed light on the necessity of species-appropriate sanctuaries for animals like him. He was a success, and now he's finally free of his cage and home for good!
Zeroing In On Circuses
Because animal lovers across the planet know there are other animals like Napa, they're working tirelessly to put a stop to circuses. In fact, in 2015, they keyed in on another caged "performer."
Poor Mufasa
Snatched from the wild as a cub by a Peruvian traveling circus, Mufasa spent 20 years chained to the back of a pickup truck. His only companion was rusted, old circus equipment.
A Circus Animal
Mufasa's handlers used him as a spectacle, transporting him from remote village to remote village to be gawked at and ogled as part of a show called Circo Koreander. Even after Peru banned the use of animals in circuses in 2011, his captors didn't stop.
Losing Hope...
As the circus continued to operate under the radar for years, there seemed little hope that Mufasa would ever get to stretch his legs or move freely. That is, until one day in April 2015.
Animal Defenders International
Animal Defenders International (ADI) was an American organization dedicated to saving animals all over the world from abuse. The team there received a tip about a circus illegally operating in northern Peru—Circo Koreander.
Deep Corruption
Shocked by the news, Animal Defenders International teamed up with police officers and wildlife officials in Peru for a surprise raid. As it turned out, there was more at stake than saving Mufasa the mountain lion...
The Last Survivor
With wild animals banned from circuses in Peru, few remained in captivity throughout the country. In fact, authorities believed Mufasa was actually the very last wild animal suffering the circus life. This raid was, in a sense, symbolic.
The Standoff
Naturally, the Animal Defenders International team—led by Jan Creamer, the organization's president (pictured)—met hostile resistance from the circus workers. What followed was a tense eight-hour standoff.
Is Mufasa Free?
Eventually, the Animal Defenders International team and the Peruvian authorities called in a public prosecutor, and Circo Koreander folded. With the weight of the law behind them, the rescuers were able to reach Mufasa. But could they save the poor cat's life?
A Day Of Firsts
"It was heartbreaking to see Mufasa chained among the circus equipment, living on the back of a pickup truck," Jan said. But it must have been amazing to see the cat hop out of the pickup for the first time.
Unhealthy Mountain Lion
Jan added, "a heavy harness and chains were wrapped around his body and as we cut them away, he stretched, free, for the first time." Free as he was, the mountain lion was still dealing with a slew of health issues...
Mufasa Needed Help
Now that Mufasa was free of his chains, his rescuers turned their attention to finding him some medical attention. At twilight, they hoisted the cat—comfortable in his new cage—into the back of a truck. They planned to take him to the Spirit of Freedom rescue center near Lima, Peru.
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Stretching His Legs
Even in a cage, Mufasa enjoyed luxuries he never imagined, like something as simple as a bed of straw to lie on. He wasted no time in stretching his legs and investigating every inch of the roomy cage while he was transported to a veterinarian.
Regaining His Confidence
Right away, Mufasa responded well to his treatment. With rehabilitation, a healthy diet, and a lot of love, Mufasa's appetite increased and he put on some weight. His coat even regained a little bit of its lost sheen!
The Journey Continues
After the veterinarians completed their treatment, the Animal Defenders International team readied Mufasa for the next leg of his journey. Over three days, they transported him by truck and boat to the Taricaya Ecological Reserve at the edge of the Amazon River.
His New World
Finally, Mufasa the mountain lion was ready to move into some bigger digs! When the sliding door to his cage opened, he tepidly stepped out into the new, spacious habitat where he would spend the rest of his life. But how would he respond?
Time And Space
Far roomier than the back of a truck, the enormous, caged-in habitat afforded Mufasa plenty of opportunities for sniffing and exploring. He had all kinds of cat stuff to catch up on after 20 years chained to a truck, and he finally had the time and space to do it!
A Few Months Of Happiness
Unfortunately, those 20 years wreaked havoc on the mountain lion. Though he received medical treatment, kidney failure and old age soon caught up to him. Just seven months after his rescue, Mufasa passed away in December 2015.
Free Until The End
Shortly after, Animal Defenders International released a statement on the feline: "We are so sad he did not enjoy more time in his forest habitat, but the real tragedy would have been if he had never experienced that freedom at all."
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