A People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals representative and a former Ringling Brothers lion worker focused their allegations in part on a 2-year-old lion named Clyde, who died in July as the circus train trekked across the Mojave Desert headed from Phoenix to Fresno, Calif.

Frank Hagan, a lion handler who was fired shortly after the lion's death, said temperatures topped 100 degrees in the big cat rail cars. Hagan said he could not persuade zoo management to stop the train on the morning of July 12 to water down the lions.

When the train finally stopped about five hours later, Hagan and a fellow tiger handler found Clyde in poor health.

"He was barely breathing and his tongue was hanging out of his mouth," Hagan said. "Clyde was completely unresponsive and breathed his last breath within moments of our arrival."

He further alleged that circus management and lawyers told him not to talk to U.S. Department of Agriculture investigators about Clyde. He said he began talking about the animal mistreatment to co-workers before Clyde's death and was asked by management to not discuss such matters. He said he believes his statements - not the actual death - led to his firing.

Ringling Brothers, in a news release, said that a veterinarian reported that the 12 other lions traveling with Clyde were healthy.

Ringling Brothers said that the accounts surrounding the death were misrepresented. The circus also said it has changed how it transports lions and tigers and is cooperating with the USDA investigation.

glavine@sltrib.com