A majestic mountain lion who spent 20 years in captivity as part of a cruel travelling circus has been set free.

A film crew captured the tear-jerking moment Mufasa was released into the wild, having spent the majority of his life shackled in the back of a pick-up truck among rusting equipment.

Even though wild animals are banned from circus performances in Peru, the beast went undetected by authorities as the group travelled between towns.

A majestic mountain lion who spent 20 years in captivity as part of a cruel travelling circus has been set free

A film crew captured the tear-jerking moment Mufasa was released into the wild, having spent the majority of his life shackled in the back of a pick-up truck among rusting equipment

In order to set Musafa free, wildlife officials and Animal Defenders International (ADI) staged a dramatic intervention.

They raided the circus and had an eight-hour armed stand off with the troupe.

In order to set Musafa free, wildlife officials and Animal Defenders International (ADI) staged a dramatic intervention

Even though wild animals are banned from circus performances in Peru, the beast went undetected by authorities as the group travelled between towns

Elderly big cat Mufasa was thought to the last wild animal in a Peruvian travelling circus

With the help of riot police and a public prosecutor, they eventually managed to break the elderly big cat free from his shackles.

Jan Creamer, from ADI, told Daily Mirror: ‘It was heartbreaking to see Mufasa chained among the circus equipment, living on the back of a pick-up truck.

‘A heavy harness and chains were wrapped around his body and as we cut them away, he stretched, free, for the first time.

‘It is magical to see him moving about in and out of the trees in his own piece of protected forest.’

Mufasa was thought to the last wild animal in a Peruvian circus.

Jan Creamer, from ADI, told Daily Mirror: ‘It was heartbreaking to see Mufasa chained among the circus equipment, living on the back of a pick-up truck’