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BHOPAL: A young tiger was found dead in the tourist zone of Bandhavgarh tiger reserve in the eastern part of Madhya Pradesh on Saturday, officials said. The 2-year-old tiger was apparently killed in a territorial fight, according to the initial report from the reserve.

“When a cub turns young, it looks for a territory of his own to settle down,” additional principal chief conservator of forests Suhas Kumar told TOI. Other tiger in the area must have killed the young one, he claimed adding that a detailed report regarding the cause of the death could be obtained only by Sunday morning.

Bandhavgarh reserve director C K Patil and his deputy Mridul Pathak couldn’t be contacted over the phone as they were on the visit to the spot in the park.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bhopal/Tiger-found-dead-in-Bandhavgarh-tiger-reserve/articleshow/13115062.cms

Warned in 1983 AZA Finally Calls for an End to the

Practice of Breeding White Tigers and White Lions

Deformed white tigers are the norm in captive collections

In June 2011 the board of directors for the American Zoological Association (AZA) formalized their 2008 ban on the breeding of white tigers, white lions or king cheetahs by their member zoos. Their report said, “Breeding practices that increase the physical expression of single rare alleles (i.e., rare genetic traits) through intentional inbreeding, for example intentional breeding to achieve rare color-morphs such as white tigers, deer, and alligators, has been clearly linked with various abnormal, debilitating, and, at times, lethal, external and internal conditions and characteristics, which are outlined in this paper.” This change in policy came more than 12 years after Big Cat Rescue first released Dr. Laughlin’s expose here: http://bigcatrescue.org/abuse-issues/issues/white-tigers 

Because of the inbreeding and resulting genetic defects the American Zoological Association barred member zoos from breeding white tigers, white lions and king cheetahs in a white paper adopted by the board of directors in July 2011.

It is noteworthy that the first person to speak out against the displaying of white tigers was William Conway, director of the NY Zoological Association, which later became known as the Bronx zoo when he said, “White tigers are freaks. It’s not the role of a zoo to show two headed calves and white tigers.” He warned AZA in 1983 of the harm to the zoo’s credibility in catering to the public’s fascination with freaks, but went unheeded until 2008 when AZA issued a request to their members to stop breeding white tigers and then later in July 2011 when the AZA formally adopted that stance as policy. Conway was attacked by Ed Maruska of the Cincinnati Zoo and other zoos that were profiting by inbreeding tigers to get white coats, but in the end Conway’s belief was validated. Read the AZA Policy Against Breeding White Tigers, White Lions and King Cheetahs

Serval relaxing at Big Cat Rescue

Leopard sisters on platforms at Big Cat Rescue

Black leopard in high grass at Big Cat Rescue

Tiny black Geoffroy Cat at Big Cat Rescue

White tigers are all inbred and cross bred and serve no conservation value

Check out the Most Recent Mews-Letter

http://bigcatrescue.org/2012/advocat-2012-03

Camp 2012 is almost here!

The camp schedule and info will be posted in late February. Registration starts in March 2012 Subscribe to this page for new camp dates:  http://bigcatrescue.org/visit-the-cats/kids-camps

Rufus the blind bobcat kitten is sleepy after playtime outside

Gale tucks Rufus the baby bobcat back into the Cat Hospital for the night

Dr Justin Boorstein working on a cage at Big Cat Rescue

TJ the tiger in mid leap up onto his new platform built by the Holleys

TJ the tiger surveys his kingdom from a high vantage point

Tiger enjoys a good scrub a dub dub in the pool at BCR

ARTHUR Male Tiger

Arthur the tiger at Big Cat Rescue

Born 1/1/96 Arrived 9/28/11

Arthur is social with his Keepers as well, however he keeps a guard up at times.

He will settle in soon enough as it is hard to resist the charm of the volunteers who bring treats to their newest charges.

Arthur loves his brother Andre dearly and the two are often found cuddled up in the same den or lounging together in one of their pools.

Arthur is the dominent tiger in the group and shows off his fierce attitude at dinner time.

We can only guess the feeding situation of their previous home, but from they way these three tigers act it seems they may have had to fight over food at times.

All three tigers are so aggressive when it comes to food they have to be separated.

While each has their own lock out that they are fed in, if they are not separated into different enclosures as well they will run back and forth through the enclosures to steal one another’s food resulting in fights.

Hopefully they will soon learn that food is plentiful here and there is no need for a frenzy when it comes to dinner time.

Through operant conditioning we can acheive this goal over time and make feeding time a peaceful and pleasant experience for everyone.

Read more about the rescue of three tigers from Texas here.

AMANDA Female Tiger

Amanda the tiger at Big Cat Rescue

Born 1/1/96 Arrived 9/28/11

Amanda is the most timid of the three tigers.

She is very shy and six months after her rescue will still slink away to hide when people approach her enclosure.

She is being worked with daily through the operant conditioning program to build a trusting relationship between her and her Keepers.

The operant condtioning program is a critical tool used at the sanctuary to ensure the cats in our care are confortable and happy.

By rewarding the simple act of approaching an operant trainer to receive a food treat Amanda will overtime begin to associate her human caregivers with a positive experience and thus will become more confortable with her surroundings.

Read more about the rescue of three tigers from Texas here.

ANDRE Male Tiger

Andre the tiger at Big Cat Rescue

Born 1/1/96 Arrived 9/28/11

Andre is the friendliest of the three tigers.

He always greets his Keepers and guests alike with a hearty chuff.

He is easily identified within the group because all four of his canine teeth are broken off.

According to his care givers at his previous home, when he was rescued in 2003 he bit the transport cage and broke off all of his canines.

After the incident he did not receive any dental care. Once he arrived at Big Cat Rescue it became a top priority to get him and his mates the dental work they required.

A specialist in veterinary dental work, Dr. Peak, arranged a visit to the sanctuary and performed four root canals on Andre which took nearly three hours.

Now that the sensitive nerves have been removed from the canine nubs Andre is completely pain free.

Read more about the rescue of three tigers from Texas here.