2003-2005 Tiger Experience

In April 2003 the owners of the so-called animal sanctuary, Tiger Rescue in Colton CA were arrested (and finally convicted, WOO HOO!) on over 50 counts of animal abuse. Beginning in July of 2003 I volunteered several days helping to care for the big cats by cleaning enclosures and feeding them until they could be moved to other facilities. The two african lions, one mountain lion, and about 10-12 leopards had gone to new homes by the end of the first summer, but the 40 tigers (Siberian, Bengal, & Sumatran) did not. Zoos will not take tigers of mixed species which was mostly the case here. The last tigers did not leave for their new home, specially built for them in northern California, until March 2005.

	When the only water available to get in is your water bowl you go for it.	Later the volunteers arranged for 6 foot diameter stock tanks for each enclosure so the tigers could get in the water.
Morning nap time			This shows the difference in size between Bengal and Sumatran tigers

updated 9/12/2005