Imagine being trapped in a cage for 15 long years, barely being able to move! Bengal tiger Mafalda lived in a train carriage in the heart of Argentina for15 years. Abandoned by a travelling circus on a farmer’s property looked after by the farmer who was tasked with their care, Mafalda, and her partner Sandro, as well as their sons, Messi & Gustavo, spent their life in a carriage. 

The story touched many people and exposed the sheer cruelty of the circus environment and other unethical captive environments that exploit animals for human amusement, with absolutely no regard for the welfare of the animals. FOUR PAWS had a very short window of opportunity to rescue them and give them a second chance in life. After the long plane journey across the Atlantic Ocean and the 300 kilometers travelled by truck from OR Tambo International Airport to LIONSROCK, Mafalda and the other tigers were released into their enclosures in tiger valley at LIONSROCK in 2022. 

This marked the start of many first and exciting experiences like stepping onto green grass, seeing the sky all the time, and finally living in species-appropriate conditions while receiving special veterinary treatment and care.