Meet Our Animals

© Mark Kostich

Tiger

Tiger (Panthera tigris)
Range: Asia
Status: Listed as Endangered on the Endangered Species Red List

These large cats are extremely dangerous predators. They occur in scattered areas through Asia, resulting in several subspecies. The subspecies vary in size, with one group, the Siberian, weighing up to 700 pounds in the wild! Tigers in the wild are seriously threatened with extinction. One reason for this is the large amount of territory needed to sustain such a big cat. A group in India is working to protect their tigers by setting up large wildlife sanctuaries with buffer zones designed to keep tigers away from people. The major threat to this operation is the propensity for tigers to have a reputation as man-eaters. Sadly, this reputation is warranted. Tigers kill surprising numbers of people each year, mostly because people move into their ever-shrinking territories to grow crops.

There is an amazingly simple and effective way to reduce tiger predation on people (besides avoiding tiger country). A study in the 1980s found that villagers who wore a mask with a replica of a human face on the back of their heads were not attacked. Tigers usually attack from the rear and it is believed that the eyes on the mask fooled them into thinking they were being watched.

There are believed to be more tigers in captivity in the United States than are remaining in the wild. Almost all of the tigers in captivity are hybrids between different subspecies and so do not serve as reservoirs for the unique genetics of each of those groups. They still retain value as tigers, but they are not ideal for re-release into the wild, should there ever be a viable opportunity to do so.

Tigra Tiger

© Mark Kostich

Tigra is a retired Hollywood cat whose owner attempted to train her by hitting her with a shovel. Because her early nutrition was so poor, he managed to break her canine teeth when he hit her. With broken teeth she wasn’t usable in public. He retired her to a sanctuary that was in the process of relocating to a new site in the Ozarks. The owner worked at the old site with the 100+ large cats there. The manager at the new location, responsible for all of the new construction and about 25 cats (including Tigra) cleaned out the bank account and left.

The cats at the new site were left without care on a mountainside. Most of the cages were 10 feet square, some containing two adult large cats. None had shelter, food, or water when help arrived. An old friend of the Center called to tell us he had been asked by the owner to help provide care for these animals, since a terrible winter storm was on its way. He managed to anchor the cages so they were stable, wrapped them in plywood to provide some shelter, and he fed and watered the cats before they all hunkered down through the –60F° wind chill of the storm. Following the storm, staff members from the Center went to the facility to help provide care for the animals on site. After six weeks of living on site and training new staff members for the sanctuary, Tigra had bonded with Mindy, one of the Center’s founders, but remained aggressive with other caregivers. She had damaged feet from freezing to the concrete floor during the storm, an abscessed canine tooth, and other health issues. She needed continuing care but attacked the fence when anyone else got near her cage. A week after Mindy got home, the sanctuary owner called to ask us to go get her.

After veterinary care, Tigra’s attitude improved dramatically. She had a large number of phobias that caused a fear-aggressive response, including a fear of plywood, boots, sunglasses, cameras, orange gloves, and so on. Careful desensitization brought her around and significantly reduced her anxiety.

Now Tigra lives happily with Will tiger. Her favorite activities include swimming, “drowning” her plastic ball (holding it underwater until the puncture holes allow it to fill up with water), and sneaking up behind Will to surprise him with a nip. She likes to drag her big truck tire around as a toy. She also eats flowers.

Will Tiger

Will was scheduled to go to retire at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Indiana from his home at a Putt-Putt and zoo in Alabama. He and his mate, Lilly, had to be moved by a date set by the USDA, which had shut down the inadequate facility. The original owner’s plan had been to euthanize the two since they were both assumed to be elderly, based on their behavior. The EFRC instead agreed to accept them, but then had been inundated by an unrelated group of seized animals from Fish and Wildlife. They asked if we would accept this elderly couple if they provided transport, and we agreed.

When Will and Lilly arrived, they were both still sedated, which had been necessary to load them. Will was not steady, but he was able to walk into his new cage. Lilly was barely able to walk, not recovering as she should from the anesthesia. They spent the evening together, and Lilly died the next morning. Will mourned her for weeks. By studying her illness, we were able to treat Will for a previously undiagnosed canine encephalitis that had made him seem much older than he really was. Suddenly, we had a gentleman tiger in his prime on our hands.

Will flirted with Tigra for several months before we introduced them. They were thrilled to be together and have been enjoying themselves ever since.

Will loves to swim in his big tub (and sometimes carries his dinner in for a swim, too). He is content to be admired when he stretches out on his den box roof, blending with the leaves in autumn.

Solida Tiger

© Schepker

Solida is the happiest, most carefree adult tiger we have ever met. She adores her big cage with lots of open sky. She relishes strolling alongside people and vehicles passing by her enclosure. She tosses and whacks her big metal toy tub at all hours of the day and night. She gets very excited when she is getting dinner…she dances sideways and makes a “play face” with her mouth hanging open like a small child waiting for a surprise.

Solida’s only problem is her fear of heights. She has gotten stuck on top of her den box, afraid to get down from the four-foot-tall structure. She had to be coaxed down a makeshift ramp the last time she got up there and couldn’t get down!

She is retired from a small zoo near the beach in NC, where she had been bred for the last 10 years before coming to live at the Center in 2004.

In 2006, Solida got a new roommate, Jacob. He is a little afraid of her, which seems to endlessly amuse her.

Jacob Tiger

Jacob Tiger arrived from Florida, rescued from a court-ordered seizure that would have resulted in his euthanasia in the summer of 2006. He was underweight, malnourished, and very frightened.

He has since blossomed into a sweet, bouncy tiger. He has gained weight and has met other adult tigers for the first time in his life. We introduced him to Solida, a female living alone in a big enclosure. They are getting along pretty well, though she still makes him a bit nervous.

Jacob loves his big open grassy space, his new friends, and his toys (though the tire he brought with him from Florida is still his favorite). His favorite place to be is either in the sun on top of the big platform, or next to the fence, getting treats. Jacob spends time observing Will Tiger next door, who is modeling how to be a big male tiger for him.

Jacob was brought to the Center with funding primarily raised by Linda McCalpin. Her good friends, the Bittles, Daniel Harrison, and David Worster were substantial contributors to the cause, along with Linda’s other friends and family. Jacob thanks and loves you all!

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