White tiger joins Cedar Cove family

White tiger joins Cedar Cove family

For Information About White Tigers Please Visit: http://bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/white_tigers.htm

Written by Kristen Waggener
Wednesday, 01 April 2009 08:00

There’s a new resident in Louisburg.

Cedar Cove Feline Sanctuary & Education Center east of Louisburg is welcoming Kimar, a white Bengal tiger, to its ranks.

Kimar came to Cedar Cove in September from the Safari Zoological Park in Caney, Kan., after the park wanted to downsize its collection, said Cedar Cove President Larry Fries.

“To my knowledge, this is the first time any zoo in the Kansas City area has had a white tiger as part of a permanent collection,” Fries said. “We are very excited because this puts Kansas City ‘on the map’ in terms of zoological importance.”

His brown and white fur gleaming in the sun, Kimar has spent the last six months acclimating to his new home at Cedar Cove.

“We wanted him to be comfortable in his new surroundings before introducing him to the public,” Fries said.

That includes becoming more comfortable with his neighbors, Paulina, a Bengal tiger, and Shadow, a wolf Cedar Cove acquired from the same park as Kimar.

“I always wonder if they recognize each other,” Fries said Monday afternoon as Kimar was getting ready for his dinner. “… Now that he’s settled in, he’s ready to meet Kansas City.”

The park has scheduled a grand introduction day Saturday, in which the public is invited to come meet Kimar and the rest of the Cedar Cove family — 24 animals ranging from leopards, cougars, caracal and even baby wolves.

The event will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the park, 3783 Kansas Highway 68. The animals will be on display all day, and there will be a public feeding of Kimar in the evening hours. Guided tours and light concessions will also be available.

Admission is $5 for adults and free for children 5 and younger.

Kimar is ready for his moment in the spotlight, after his three younger siblings made national news in July 2008. Kimar is the older brother of the white tiger cubs who were abandoned by their mother and nursed by a golden retriever and made appearances on TV shows.

“He’s part of our family now, he lives here,” Fries said.

http://www.herald-online.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2226:white-tiger-joins-cedar-cove-family&catid=1:community-news&Itemid=27

http://bigcatrescue.org/