My favorite part of the zoo has always been seeing the lions and tigers, but they always seem to be hiding and I never get a good look at them through all the layers of metal, gorges, wire and sometimes glass.
Well yesterday I got to experience lions and tigers up close, literally within touching distance. Separated by only chain link fence. Exhilarating. I'm positive that at any zoo you would never been allowed to be so close to wild animals. Experiencing this place is definitely not like a touring a zoo- it was intense.
The rescue is a facility that provides permanent homes for exotic cats that have been rescued from abused owners. They have nearly 200 cats there, and it costs no more than a movie to take a tour and come close enough to the animals to touch them. It was the second time I'd been there, the first time was a year ago: I went on a field trip with some kids between the ages of 3 & 6. At the time I was more concerned about holding onto the kid I had in each hand than observing the animals. Each adult was paired up with two kids- I don't think I'd ever gripped a child's hand as firmly as I had theirs. Especially when we walked between two cages and had a lion and tiger paces us earnestly on either side. Yeah. Holy crap.
Yesterday was the second trip. I'd wanted to take Andy there since I'd been the first time, I knew he would like it. We went with some friends of ours and their three kids. At the first tour stop the guide told us that the lions will stalk the little ones, its their instinct. We didn't totally believe it until one of the lions whole demeanor changed when the little ones came by and eyed them like they were lunch, the look in the face was freaky. Here's a picture of one of the lions staring down one of the kids, just before he growled at him. (It's a little hard to see his face but his eyes were scary.)
And this one was hunting us. Can you see him? I couldn't believe how well he blended in- for how big he was. We could hear him growling before we could actually see him.
Did you know that tigers actually get larger than lions? Yeah, me neither. Some of tigers we saw were 600 lbs!
See the trail between the cages in this picture? Yeah, we walked through that- for a long time. And they tell you stay 3 feet away from the cages... That trail is barely larger than 3 feet wide! The lion in the picture followed us, the second picture is literally how close we were to some of the animals. It's not a good picture, but it gives you the idea. It's not zoomed in. You literally could've touched them. Not that I wanted to!
These pictures don't really do the experience justice. It was incredible to be so close to the animals. To see the sheer mass of their size. To be warned to move along quickly by the tour guide when the animals showed signs of aggravation. To hear how loud a small growl is and imagine what a roar would sound like.
Oh, did I mention that a cougar escape from here last year and was never found? Holy crap!
6 comments:
I don't think you could get me to walk down that thin path with fence on both sides. I'd be screaming all the way. I would be lunch :)
Very interesting.
Great pictures. Was laughing at the one where it looks like one of those cats is stalking you.
We have a local place similar to this. This old cougar was looking at my then two year old like a tasty treat.
Scary! I think I may have been a tiny bit freaked out if I had gone! Looks like fun though! Lions and Tigers always fascinate me!
That is SO COOL! I wish we could go there. Tigers are my favorites too. When we went to the Minnesota Zoo we spent all day there going back to the different tiger habitats hoping one would get up and move around. Nothing as cool as this!
Kristy, I really liked the dandilion white blow thing you had on the top of your page. The backround is cute, it,s you. Do you have anymore that your thinking of?
TRy the first dandilion again, it took up more space :)
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