“I Will Miss You!” The lion family was rescued from the circus and lived happily until the mother lion fell ill. The male lion stayed by her side and took care of her until her last moment.

Leo and Moneca are an intimate couple that withstood a number of difficulties and yet stuck together until the very end.

Leo, Moneca, and their children were rescued from a circus in Peru by Animal Defenders International (ADI) in 2014. A circus isn’t one of the friendliest places for a Lion to be.

According to a research article, it is not exciting or fun at all for the Lions and other animals used by circuses for shows and entertainment. They are often threatened into performing with whips, sticks, and even tazers.

However, the journey wasn’t smooth for Leo and Moneca. Leo and his sons – Chino, Coco, and Rolex – were the lucky ones on ADI’s first attempt to save the family. The circus retaliated midway through the rescue mission and blocked the rescue before going into hiding.

Leo gave Moneca more attention and was the first to notice when she was sick in August. He became more defensive and supportive of her.

“Leo has always watched over Moñeca, but when she became unwell, he clearly realized something was wrong,” Jan Creamer, president of ADI said.

Just like every caring husband will care for his wife, Leo cuddles up with Muneca to provide a source of comfort and even persuades her to eat. Leo never left her side as he was seen cuddling her non-stop.

Unfortunately for Leo, Muneca, who was now 19 years old, kicked the bucket in September. We can only imagine how draining it must have been for him.

Throughout this, Leo’s caregivers ensured that he was given extra attention to help him recover from the loss of his dear wife.