Heartbreaking new images show a group of lions rescued from a traveling circus as they await their journey to a safe and humane sanctuary in America.

The lions were all taken from a circus in Chiclayo, Peru, and have been waiting in Lima to be moved to their new home by Animal Defenders International.

One has been so badly abused that it is missing one of its eyes.

One of the lions rescued from a circus in Peru is missing one of its eyes

The lions were rescued in 2010 and have been in Lima, Peru for the four years since

They are now getting ready to go to their new home at the Wildlife Animal Sanctuary in Denver, Colorado

The lions will be heading to the Wildlife Animal Sanctuary in Denver, Colorado soon, the nation’s premier habitat for large carnivores.

In addition to lions, the facility is home to bears, tigers, foxes, bobcats, wolves and even raccoon, to name a few.

Wildlife Animal Sanctuary is a sanctuary for large carnivores where there are no cages and the animals run free

Vistors to the Wildlife Animal Sanctuary walk on elevated walkways so the habitat of the animals is never disturbed

The nonprofit, which was founded in 1980, is dedicated to protecting the health and welfare of its animals, and was not even open to the public for its first 23 years of operation

Visitors now walk around on elevated walkways allowing the animals to roam free and never be caged.