After Recovering From Dental Surgery, Groggy Rescued Circus Lion Fights to Nuzzle With His Daughter (VIDEO)

Lions are some of the most loyal and family-oriented creatures on Earth. Male lions care deeply for their mates and cubs and can experience severe depression when kept captive in zoos and circuses, away from their families. For the lucky lions, in the video above, however, their life of pain is finally transforming for the better thanks to the help of Animal Defenders International.

Leo, the male lion, was rescued from a circus in Peru and was reunited with his mate, Muneca, and his daughters, Africa and Kiara, eight months later.

The lions are separated by a mesh divide for now until family bonds are reaffirmed, Muneca is sterilized, and the animals get used to the habitat, in general. That has not kept the family from showing the tremendous love they have for each other, though. They have been seen nuzzling through the mesh, clearly overcome with joy from being reunited. Things got even more intense when Leo returned to his enclosure after dental surgery. Groggy from the anesthetic, but still determined to interact with his daughter, Leo stumbles over to the mesh divide. Weak and temporarily debilitated, Leo can barely hold himself up and falls onto Africa’s face more than cuddling with it, but seems content regardless just from being near her.

The determination Leo shows just to be close to his daughter is telling of the strong bonds these animals possess. Soon they will be moved into a large natural enclosure to live together as a family. If you’d like to help fully reunite this beautiful family, consider donating to the Animal Defenders International.