151 british activists tim phillips and jan creamer raced through the peruvian jungle moments after receiving word that a lost circus they had been trailing for months had just been spotted in the arid outskirts of sullana the couple says this circus called the koreander circus was one of the last defiant ones in peru that refuses to give up the wild animals they use for its circus acts it is the latest target of a national multiagency operation to enforce a new ban on wild animal acts in circuses across the country the stakes are high for the animals thats the way we see it creamer said if we dont get them thats it they die where they are we cant afford to fail them phillips and creamer are the driving force behind animal defenders international adi an animal rights group based in the united kingdom assisting authorities in peru nightline was granted exclusive access to the final days of adis operation to rescue circus animals throughout peru which included going after the koreander circus an operation that led to a tense standoff between wildlife authorities and the circus animal owners this story is part of a youtube channel called timesxtwo a joint venture between nightline and bbc digital current affairs phillips and creamer have been at the forefront of the global animal rights movement for decades making it their lifes mission to rescue circus animals and place them in sanctuaries the problem in the circuses here is that lack of understanding of the suffering theyre causing just by the way the animal is being kept creamer said adis undercover investigations documenting horrific abuses have inspired several latin american countries including bolivia colombia el salvador panama and now peru to outlaw wild animal acts in circuses theres a routine and casual violence towards animals in circuses to keep them subjugated and keep them in their place phillips said these animals are chained theyre kept in tiny deplorable conditions teeth snapped off claws cut off and i think people have said enough is enough creamer said latin america is way ahead of the us in terms of ending the use of animals in traveling circuses but actually enforcing the law is a whole different challenge and often times angry circus owners are desperate to hold on to their biggest stars like lions and tigers after the animals are seized they brought to adis spirit of freedom center near lima peru where they receive medical care and much needed playtime we give them footballs and toys and try and keep them exercised and try and get the guys to play with them every now and again creamer said referring to a lioness living at the center the couple had 24 lions and more than 40 primates living at their center when nightline was there and many carried scars from abuse after caring for the rescued animals creamer and phillips then find them new homes the monkeys were taken