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Six lions and tigers move to Pittsboro
Updated 11/13/2010 11:10 AM
By: Heather Moore
PITTSBORO, N.C. — Six lions and tigers are North Carolina's newest residents.
They came from the Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio, Texas. It was forced to close its doors due to lack of funding and had to find new homes for its 297 animals. On Friday, the lions and tigers arrived at their new home, Carolina Tiger Rescue, in Pittsboro.
“It is exciting,” said Pam Fulk, executive director of Carolina Tiger Rescue. “Everybody's been anticipating this. It's also a little bit stressful because moving animals is hard on the animals. You never know what kind of humor to expect them in.”
The trip to North Carolina took 26 hours by truck. And for the next 30 days, the lions and tigers will live together in a building quarantined from the other animals at the rescue to ensure they don't spread any illnesses. Afterward, they will be released into their own, natural habitat on the property.
“We are an educational sanctuary. So we do public tours. We do field trips, every opportunity we can to introduce people to these animals, to see they do have feelings, they are individuals and they are worth saving, both in captivity and in the wild,” said Fulk.
Despite the big cats' adorable looks, animal experts warn they are not pets.
“That's one of the messages we try strongly to convey,” said Fulk. “They will live out the rest of their lives with us in a very large habitat, very natural habitat.”
The Carolina Tiger Rescue says it costs about $5,000 a year per lion or tiger to care for them. The facility has about 75 other animals on the property and operates exclusively on donations.
Here are a few pictures of Sheba, Sebastian, and Tarzan in quarantine for 30-day until they are medically clearned to join the other animals at the sanctuary:
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| Sebastian comforting Sheba |
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Sheba waiting to be moved to quarantine for 30-days pending medical clearance |
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| Sheba waiting to go into quarantine |
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| Sheba watching the tigers move into quarantine |
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| Tarzan observing activity around his area |
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| Tarzan resting |
Here are a few pictures of Java, Titan, and Bali moving into the quarantine area for 30-days until they are medically cleared:
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| Java a little scared and anxious about her new home |
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| Titan observing activity in the area |
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| Titan and Bali waiting their turn to disembarck |
I pray the six cats have a wonderful new and long life at the North Carolina sanctuary.
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