More Info on Amarillo Zoo's New Tigers - Sabrina and Savannah

 http://www.amarillomagonline.com/article/347

Zoo Welcomes Bengals
Posted March 18, 2011 5:14 p.m.
by Drew Belle Zerby


Amarillo Zoo presents two tigers, renovated exhibit

As Sabrina emerged from her house and entered her habitat, she didn’t seem to notice the surrounding crowd and flashing cameras. She didn’t seem to notice that her lifelong companion, Savannah, stayed behind, either.


A year-a-half after Amarillo’s resident Bengal tiger, Holly, passed away, the Amarillo Zoo welcomed two six-year-old Bengal beauties to the community as well as a renovated exhibit March 11.

“We knew once we lost Holly we wanted to bring tigers back,” says Rhonda Votino, zoo curator. “The plan was we wanted to enlarge the exhibit. The exhibit now is at least double, maybe almost triple the size of what we had before. We had the opportunity to get two tigers and that’s what we’ve gone with. We’re just happy to have tigers back on.”

Sabrina and Savannah arrived in January from the Wild Animal Orphanage, a rescue facility in San Antonio forced to close as a result of overpopulation. The duo, which was born and brought up together at the secluded sanctuary, have never been exposed to crowds, but Rhonda is confident they will adapt to their new environment quickly.

“I think they’ll be fine,” Rhonda assures. “Once they get used to it, I’m hoping they’ll take advantage of their sleeping platform and come out and sun themselves. Tigers really love water so I’m really hoping they’ll take to the pool. We’ll come up with all sorts of activities to keep them entertained and active.”


While Sabrina took to her home well, her hesitant other half decided to postpone her premiere, which didn’t surprise Rhonda one bit.


“Savannah is a lot more apprehensive,” Rhonda explains. “It may take her even a couple days before she shows her face. I keep seeing Sabrina going back into the tunnel like ‘It’s OK. We can go out.’ But Savannah’s not having any of it,’” she chuckles. “Sabrina is definitely the more people-oriented. I kind of figured she’d be the first one to come out.”


But Savannah has no problem showing her stripes when it’s feeding time. The aggressive cats must be separated during their daily, evening meal. Five days out of the week, the two eat 7-8 pounds of commercially-prepared meat which contains vitamins and minerals specifically designated for exotic cats. The other two days, they either feed on rabbits or fast.


“In the wild they wouldn’t necessarily eat every day,” Rhonda says. “These guys would take down a kill, feed off of it and it might be another week or so before they feed again. In captivity, you kind of simulate that same type of behavior.”


While the cats are aggressive animals, they can still be quite playful. When the crew leaves empty boxes in the tigers’ home, they go to town. Sometimes Rhonda adds different scents to the boxes or even includes an edible treat inside.


“Just about anything they’ll make a toy out of it. If I’m not careful, when I’m hosing the building, they’ll try to grab my hose, Rhonda exclaims.”


Rhonda, who worked at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans before moving to Amarillo six years ago, is hopeful Sabrina and Savannah will attract larger crowds to the Zoo.


“Tigers are very popular. I think they’ll be a big draw,” Rhonda says. “When we had the single tiger, people loved her. They always came to see Holly. There are certain species when people come to a zoo they want to see and with cats it’s always the lions and tigers. Everybody loves the lions and tigers. I think people will really enjoy seeing the cats. The zoo has a lot of potential,” she continues. “It’s a small zoo, but there’s just a lot that can be done here. We’re always very excited we can add new exhibits like this for the community.”


In addition to the tiger exhibit, the is reopening the leopard exhibit, which will house the black leopard, Maverick, who also came from the Wild Animal Orphanage. An education center is also in the works.


“We know an education center would be a great addition,” Rhonda says, “especially for all the school groups that come here. Right now we can do programs but it’s really weather-dependent. We have no inside place to do classroom stuff. We’ll be very excited to get an education center.”

For more information on the Amarillo Zoo, visit amarillozoo.org

Sabrina and Savannah Are At the Amarrillo Zoo

http://amarillo.com/news/local-news/2011-03-12/tigers-make-debut

Tigers make debut


Big cat addition also includes black leopard

Posted: March 12, 2011 - 1:27am


Six-year-old Bengal tiger Sabrina tries out her new digs Friday in the tiger exhibit at the Amarillo Zoo. Two female tigers from a tiger rescue in San Antonio were donated to the zoo.


E.J. Scott, 3, watches Friday as Sabrina, a 6-year-old Bengal tiger, tries out her new exhibit at the Amarillo Zoo.


Stephen Spillman / Amarillo Globe-News

Six-year-old Bengal tiger Sabrina tries out her new digs



By Cheryl Berzanskis


Sabrina strolled the fenced runway out of her house and into the yard like a graceful queen greeting her public Friday. The 6-year-old Bengal tiger and her shy companion, Savannah, are two of the Amarillo Zoo's latest acquisitions.


Visitors can see Sabrina and Savannah today in their new home on the east side of the zoo, neighboring the lions and bobcats. The zoo's other new resident, a black leopard named Maverick, will live on the north side of the cat compound across from the coyotes on the zoo's northern edge.


The trio arrived in January from the Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio, a rescue facility for exotic animals that announced last year it would place as many exotics as possible before closing due to financial difficulties.


Sabrina, Savannah and Maverick were free to the Amarillo Zoo; donations paid for their food and veterinary care before transport to Amarillo. The cats were vaccinated against rabies and distemper and quarantined 30 days for observation.


Bringing the felines to Amarillo contributes to animal conservation through education about the species, said Rhonda Votino, zoo curator.


"They make good ambassadors, and you can educate people about the tiger species," she said.


It isn't easy for the zoo to find exotic animals to host because it lacks accreditation from the American Zoo and Aquarium Association. The association creates standards and inspects more than 200 zoos and aquariums.


The zoo is working toward the goal of accreditation. By doing so, the zoo would be able to host animals from other zoos and participate in animal-breeding programs.


Holly, the zoo's last Bengal tiger, was euthanized in August 2009 at age 19 because of severe seizures. Raven, a black leopard, died last year of age-related kidney failure.


While Sabrina strolled her new yard, Savannah, described by Votino as "more apprehensive," kept to herself inside their barn. City workers expected to complete Maverick's enclosure Friday.


While Sabrina explored her new digs, three lions from next door crowded into the corner closest to the tiger cage. The big cats exchanged low rumbles, then dispersed to other pursuits, the lions to their naps and the tiger to further explore. Three bobcats on the north side of the tiger cage watched the goings on perched in trees in their cage.


Henry Janhsen, president of the Amarillo Zoological Society, which conducts fundraising and promotion of the zoo, noted visitors could get within a few feet of the orange and black animal as she strolled her enclosure just inside the fence and only a few steps from the pedestrian walkway.


"I think they have a natural attraction to people. They are beautiful animals," he said.


Meg O'Brien brought her 2-year-old daughter Laurel to see the big cat debut.


"She loves animals," O'Brien said. "The bobcats, and the coyotes when they howl, and she really likes the monkey exhibit."


Her hopes for the zoo's future include children's classes in the planned education center, which is in the cost estimation stage, and an aquarium.


Amarillo Zoo


When: Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., except New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas


Where: Inside Thompson Park at Northeast 24th Avenue and U.S. Highway 287


Cost: $3 for ages 13-61; $2 for ages 62 and up; $1 for children 3-12; ages 2 and under free. Admission is free on Mondays.


Information: 806-381-5605


On the Web: www.amarillozoo.orgSabrina and Savannah


• Female Bengal tigers


• Each is 6 years old.


• Each weighs between 300 and 350 pounds.


• Tigers eat 7 to 8 pounds of beef-based food five days per week, a rabbit once a week and a beef leg once a week. The diet is designed to mimic that of tigers living in the wild.


• Most Bengals living in the wild are in India; others are in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, western Myanmar and Nepal. They are endangered by habitat fragmentation, decline in prey, poaching and retaliation killing. The estimated number of Bengals in the wild is 4,000, according to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.


Source: Amarillo ZooMaverick


• Male black leopard


• 17 years old


• Weighs about 100 pounds


• He eats about 2 pounds of food each day on the same schedule as the tigers.


• Scientists don't know how many leopards live in the wild, but they are found in sub-Saharan Africa, according to Leopard Conservation Project.


Source: Amarillo Zoo

Cryer Blew Off BCR

I found this article on the Internet. I wish I knew who placed it on 911 Animal Abuse, for it appears this person may have been part of the "new management group" and may have additional inside information to share.

In any case, I was aware of the BCR incident as it was told to me verbally by a person who also operates a sanctuary. Since I had no proof of what transpired, I figured it would go down as just one more story unreported.

Since someone else has come forward and posted the event on 911 Animal Abuse, I thought I'd post it so you can read it for yourself:

This account seems to confirm the stories I heard last year...right down to Cryer's demand for money from those who wanted to help the animals. Even though this is an old post, it is still relevant as to how the Cryers operated at the WAO.

http://www.911animalabuse.com/index.php/search-abusers/31-browse-by-name/173-asvestas-carol-a-ron

Wild Animal Orphanage 60 Days to Close

Pseudo sanctuaries make their money by rescuing more animals than they can take care of long term. While it seems there was also a considerable amount of mismanagement in this case, it would have imploded regardless.

Big Cat Rescue had been in phone contact with Jamie Cryer, the President for the past couple of months after he called asking if they would take 5 cougars, a caracal and some bobcats. They told him they could take the smaller cats and maybe the cougars, but asked if they could come assess the situation first. He had invited them to do so saying they wouldn't believe how awful things were there. Then he quit returning their calls and emails.

Big Cat Rescue President, Jamie Veronica, stopped by on her way back from her vacation last week to see if she could talk to Jamie C. She went to the zoo and Mike told her they only had 4 people taking care of 400 animals. He wouldn't let her in saying he didn't want to get involved in the "politics" whatever that meant.

Jamie V. called Jamie C. who told her he was busy off site and couldn't come to let her in the zoo nor the sanctuary. He said he would send her a list of animals they want to place later but wouldn't make arrangements for her to see the cougars. He said he placed the small cats already and that there were only a couple of cougars left.

Jamie C. said he had 200 tigers to place.

An investigator contacted Suzanne Staw at WAO and reported that WAO insisted he pay them to rescue the animals. He said Scott Lope was there filming a rescue right now and that the production company had a lot of money. He seemed to feel like the production company was outbidding him for the right to film a rescue. The investigator said Scott was filming another rescue in TX a couple weeks ago taking two tiger pets from a couple and placing them at In-Sync Exotics. (small concrete cells adjoining one shared grassy play yard) Scott hasn't asked Big Cat Rescue to assist in either of his recent episodes. The investigator said he had gotten a place in TN (presumable Tiger Haven) to commit to taking tigers but that WAO wouldn't let them go unless the TN group paid for the cats. As you can see in the letter from WAO they are asking other non profits to fundraise for them so they can keep paying themselves without continuing to be on the board of their own non profit which is in serious trouble.

It could be legal suicide to help them as those helping could be perceived as aiding and abetting. At the very least it doesn't make sense to try and deal with those who have already shown such contempt toward previous efforts to help. There are plenty of big cats in need of help elsewhere that are more compelling than bailing out a sanctuary who got itself into this mess by being irresponsible and giving all of us in the rescue community a black eye in the process.

Letter from WAO

September, 6, 2010

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We are writing to all of you to let you know that Wild Animal Orphanage in San Antonio, Texas “WAO” is officially closing its doors. The Board of Directors unanimously voted on August 31, 2010 to dissolve WAO and place our beloved animals in other sanctuaries. We wanted to let you know as soon as possible so you have the facts to dispel any rumors and to ask for your help. We are attaching a copy of our Board resolution, which sets forth our intention and an overview of the time line.

Here are the highlights:

1) Beginning May 1, 2010 the current Board of Directors of WAO assumed responsibility for the management of WAO after prior management was dismissed for failing to provide proper management of WAO.

2) We have been cooperating with the office of the Texas Attorney General, Charitable Trusts Division, (the “AG”) in their investigation of WAO. This investigation has been going on for many years, as some of you know. Although the AG predicated agency support upon this dissolution resolution, the Board and animal keepers agreed that closure is in the best interest of the animals at WAO.

3) Our goal is to place all 323 animals within the next 60 days. We know that is an ambitious goal. However, let us be clear: we will not euthanize any animals unless a veterinarian determines it is medically necessary, and we will not close our doors until every last animal has a home.

4) There has been some talk of a person putting together a coalition of donors who would be a part of a nonprofit organization, buy the property, and acquire the USDA licenses from us to care for the animals. We are open to such offers, provided that an offer (a) involves entirely separate leadership with a track record in animal care and organizational management; (b) involves a facility and animal care plan that meets or exceeds the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act; (c) has the support of the USDA and IFAW; and (d) is backed by a substantial financial base. Since such plans are not inconsistent with our Board resolution, and in the absence of a firm offer, we are proceeding with the plan set forth in the Board resolution. Regardless of any offers, any animals whom we have committed to be placed with another sanctuary will be placed with such sanctuary.

5) We greatly need your support. About 1/3 of our animals are on the list to be placed (although some are still pending approval from the receiving sanctuary). Therefore we need to find homes for at least 2/3 of our population. In addition, we need financial support to continue to feed and prepare the animals for transport (ie, veterinary care and tests); to pay our animal caretakers; and to keep the lights on.

6) We are looking for a nonprofit organization who will receive donations on our behalf and disburse them to us as needed to pay for the expenses mentioned in #5 above. We believe we will be able to fund raise in these final moments if we have an established, reputable intermediary. Please let us know if you can serve in this capacity.

Thank you in advance for your support. We deeply appreciate it. For those of you who have already reached out with your support of medicines and food, thank you so much. Our hearts are warmed with your kindness and support during this difficult transition.

Please direct all offers to help and any questions about this letter or Board resolution to Michelle, and please direct all media inquiries to Suzanne.

Please forward this email to your friends and colleagues who are not on this email list but who might be able to help in some capacity.

Warm regards,

Michelle Anthony-Cryer, President

Chris Smith, Vice President

Suzanne Straw, Secretary