Big Cat Rescuers

SKIP the bobcat

2011-07-22T05:05:00.001-07:00

Skip the bobcat was hit by a car on December 28th, 2010. After successful surgery to repair his shattered pelvis and 3 months of rehab at Big Cat Rescue he was unable to be released back into the wild...

Watch full episodes of the "Skipcam" camera trap videos here....

Episode 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ErxBYXvT4-E

Episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vjkhbAF9vM

Swimming Bobcat!

2011-07-14T10:16:00.001-07:00

*Rare Footage! MAX the Bobcat our newest rescue investigates his two new pools and goes for a swim!

BIG CAT RAP!!

2011-07-09T13:15:00.001-07:00

Listen to Tigers, Lions, Leopards, Cougars and Ocelots BIG CAT RAP!! For FREE Big Cat Rescue ringtones visit: http://www.myxer.com/artist/513436/

Feeding 100+ Tigers, Lions, Leopards...

2011-07-03T00:37:00.001-07:00

What's the favorite time of day for BIG CATS? - - - - DINNER TIME! This is what the residents at Big Cat Rescue enjoy more than anything else, food, food, food! The cats definitely love to eat and we love to provide them with the best diet we possibly can, so if you would like to help us feed the cats please visit this site and donate what you can: http://www.razoo.com/story/Modglin THANK YOU!

Meet Canyon the SAND CAT!

2011-06-24T00:31:00.001-07:00

IS THIS THE WORLD'S CUTEST CAT???

Canyon the Sand Cat is one of the smallest residents at Big Cat Rescue, he's often mistaken for a domestic cat or kitten by tour guests! Listen to our junior volunteers as they introduce viewers to the cutest cat at BCR!?

BIG CAT SUMMER!

2011-06-19T06:31:00.001-07:00

It's Summer time at Big Cat Rescue, check out all the cool enrichment we hand out to the tigers, lions, leopards and more!

Liger Physical

2011-06-13T03:49:00.001-07:00

Freckles is an 18 year old liger we rescued in 2008. She was in bad shape when she came to Big Cat Rescue, listen to what we have done to make her more comfortable while living at the sanctuary...

Vote Big Cat Rescue in Toyota's 100 Cars for Good

2011-06-04T11:21:00.001-07:00

Big Cat Rescue has been selected as one of 500 finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, which will award vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public. Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five non-profit organizations each day for 100 days on Toyota’s Facebook page http://apps.facebook.com/carsforgood/

Sleepy Tigers....

2011-06-03T22:01:00.001-07:00

TIGERS SNORE TOO!! Check out our Tigers, Lions, Leopards and more doing what cats do best.....SLEEP! Big Cat Rescue is thankful to all our donors and supporters than enable us to rescue these cats and provide them with sanctuary so they can sleep in peace for the rest of their lives.

Top 10 Tiger Facts

2011-05-24T14:47:00.001-07:00

“If we can’t save the tiger from extinction, we can’t save anything!” was repeated in a myriad of ways over the past week in Washington, DC by conservation experts from around the world at The most important conservation initiative undertaken in the history of the world to conserve wild tigers.

*BIG Cat Toys!

2011-05-21T07:23:00.001-07:00

TIGER TOYS! Watch tigers, leopards & cougars playing with their oversized toys... THANK YOU to all our supporters and volunteers who enable us to provide these grr-eat enrichment items for the cats to play with!

Special thanks to: http://incompetech.com/m/c/royalty-free/for providing us with the music in this video.

For more info about BIG CAT RESCUE visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org

BIG CATS need a BIG TRUCK!

2011-05-13T10:01:00.001-07:00

Help Big Cat Rescue with their mission! Vote for Big Cat Rescue on June 3rd in the Toyota 100 Cars For Good program and we could win a new rescue vehicle!

Vote here on June 3rd: http://apps.facebook.com/carsforgood/

Liger ROAR!

2011-05-10T14:33:00.001-07:00

Freckles the LIGER at Big Cat Rescue, Freckles was rescued along with two tigers from Mississippi in December 2008, read the full story here: http://bigcatrescuer.blogspot.com/2009/01/big-cat-bailout.html

Big Cat Rescue strives to make sure all of our cats are as comfortable as possible while living at the sanctuary, however we have to inspect and clean the enclosures daily whether the cats like it or not and this video clip is a good example of why these cats do not belong in backyards!

Tiger Easter!

2011-04-23T00:58:00.001-07:00

TIGERS & LIONS LIKE EASTER TREATS TOO! Watch Zabu the white tiger destroy her easter egg filled with catnip and leave the mess for Cameron the lion to investigate!

Big Cat Scares! :)

2011-04-03T04:32:00.001-07:00

Big cats can be very scary, but so can Big Cat Rescue volunteers!Sorry interns! If you would like to take part in our intern program please visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/how-you-can-help/volunteer-intern

Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom *Big Cats!!

2011-03-31T11:08:00.001-07:00

Feeding over 100 tigers, lions and leopards each day requires lots of food, watch the cats enjoy their dinner in this fun video!

LYNX gets a haircut!

2011-03-27T01:46:00.001-07:00

Dances With Wolves had been bottle raised and sold to someone who expected her to bond with him. His cats do commercials and ads and she was not inclined to do either. Living on Easy Street now, she can do what comes natural to her. Big Cat Rescue's resident Canadian Lynx gets rid of her bad hairdo!

Backyard Tigers of America...

2011-03-18T22:45:00.001-07:00

Did you know that it is 100% LEGAL to own tigers, lions and other exotic big cats as "pets" in the United States? There are literally thousand of big cats existing in horrible conditions in backyards across America...

Q: Do TIGERS hate CINNAMON??

2011-03-06T05:53:00.001-08:00

Do tigers hate cinnamon? We have 13 tigers at Big Cat Rescue so we decided to put cinnamon to the test and find out..... We also gave cinnamon to a few of our lions to see what they thought to the baking spice!

CIRCUS

2011-03-01T17:53:00.001-08:00

The CIRCUS is NO FUN for the animals...

Big Cat Rescue does something called Operant Conditioning to teach our cats to do things we need them to do for medical reasons, such as lean against the fence to get their shots or open their mouth so we can look at their teeth. We do this with rewards and the cats have fun because they are smart and bored and love the attention. We never punish or withhold food to make them do something, and the cats only do it when they want to -- not on our schedule.

But because tigers and lions in circus acts must perform specific acts at precise times and "the show must go on," positive reinforcement is not the only method used by circus trainers or night club magicians. Often the cats are beaten, starved and confined for long periods of time in order to get them to cooperate with what the trainers want. And life on the road means that most of a cat's life is spent in a circus wagon in the back of a semi-truck or in a crowded, stinking box car on a train or barge.

The messages the public gets from circus acts couldn't be worse. These acts either show man dominating one of nature's most magnificent creatures, which would never happen on an even playing field, or worse are promoted as illustrations of the "special bond" the trainer has with his captive. The latter just fuels the trade in big cats as pets and that never ends well for the cat.

18 Servals, 1 Sanctuary...

2011-02-21T08:19:00.001-08:00

Many of our servals are former "pets", wild cat species NEVER make suitable "pets" and are often abandoned once the owners realise this. Big Cat Rescue is a non-profit educational sanctuary home to over 100 unwanted, abandoned and abused exotic big cats.

♥ Big Cat Love ♥

2011-02-11T09:39:00.001-08:00

The love is in the air at Big Cat Rescue. Lions, Tigers, Leopards and more are enjoying the company of loving feline companions and special Valentine's Day enrichment to play with! :)

Bobcat Kittens + 2011 Rehab UPDATE

2011-02-05T22:31:00.001-08:00

The Big Cat Rescue - Bobcat Rehabilitation Program. We currently have three individual bobcats that we are rehabilitating, Midnight the bobcat kitten that was orphaned by a hunter in Alabama and Bellona and Skip two Florida bobcats that were struck by cars.
Listen to BCR President Jamie Veronica update viewers on the progress of the bobcats and their expected dates of release back into the wild where they belong!

Lion eats whole rabbit - WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

2011-01-29T06:28:00.001-08:00

Watch Joseph the lion eat a whole rabbit in around 9 minutes (Time Lapse)
Whole prey is an important part the diet we feed our cats, as you can see they eat everything including the bones, stomach contents and fur. This provides great nutrition and a nice change of diet for the cats at their favorite time of day....DINNER TIME!

LION TACOS!! - - - $8.75 each!!

2011-01-23T22:23:00.001-08:00

First there were LION BURGERS, know we have LION TACOS, this abuse as to stop!

An Arizona restaurant known for serving tacos made from exotic meats is taking advanced orders for a particularly rare delicacy - LION MEAT !!

Boca Tacos y Tequila, a Tucson Tex-Mex restaurant plans to put lion on its menu for one night only February 16th, provided enough diners express interest in chowing down on the big cat.

WAYS TO HELP STOP THIS...

Please send an email or call the FDA to let them know that regulations should be passed prohibiting "threatened" species from being served as food products.

FDA email: consumer@fda.gov

FDA phone: (949) 608-3530 Arizona Consumer Complaint Coordinator

SIGN THE PETITION HERE: http://animals.change.org/blog/view/lion_tacos_on_the_menu_in_arizona

2 Tigers vs RHINO !?

2011-01-21T02:34:00.001-08:00

!! WATCH 2 TIGERS ATTACK A RHINO !?- Shere Khan our 750lb Siberian/bengal Tiger and China Doll have fun destroying our model Rhino.

How to Flea Treat 100+ BIG CATS !!

2011-01-16T00:53:00.001-08:00

Tigers, Lions, Leopards, all cat species can catch fleas, so at Big Cat Rescue we have to treat all of our 100+ residents with flea prevention just like your domestic cat at home every single month!

Cougar Rescue

2011-01-06T08:23:00.001-08:00

Meet Big Cat Rescue's newest residents, Freddy and Sassyfrass. They were rescued from Illinois in November 2010, listen to their story and watch the rescue!

Living in the Lion's Den for 30 Days James Jablon

2011-01-05T06:05:00.001-08:00

Why is it so bad for James Jablon of Wildlife Rehab of Hernando Florida to be living in the lions' den with two white lion cubs?

How about 10 reasons, just for starters:

Om Nom Nom - Serval :)

2010-12-30T13:38:00.001-08:00

Listen to Ty the Serval Om Nom Nom while eating his dinner! Ty came to Big Cat Rescue on 6/18/98. His previous owners had become worried that Ty, who has all of his claws, would harm their young children. The breeder had told them that if they raised Ty with their infant son they would bond forever. By the time Ty was three, the boy was still a toddler and Ty went after him. The parents had visited Big Cat Rescue before and felt that Ty would have a comfortable and happy home here. His owners caught him up in a crab trap and transported him to the sanctuary in the back of their pick up truck. After spening days in the heat, on the open road, he finally arrived. Ty has finally found refuge and seems to be quite happy here. He lives to eat and will begin to look down the pathways for approaching keepers an hour before feeding time.

Big Cat Christmas!

2010-12-20T02:24:00.001-08:00

WATCH Tigers, Lions, Leopards and more having fun destroying their big cat christmas presents! Big Cat Rescue is home to over 100 unwanted, abandoned and abused exotic big cats who love their presents just as much as we do!

Help the BIG CATS this christmas!

2010-12-15T17:23:00.001-08:00

Thanks to the generosity of the family of William and Lois Modglin of Glendale, California, this grant provides that any donations to Big Cat Rescue that indicate they are to be submitted for a match from this grant will be matched dollar for dollar by a donation from this grant immediately upon receipt of you donation up to the $200,000 maximum. This 100% match means your donation has twice the impact!

Help FREE Tony the Tiger!

2010-12-12T05:27:00.001-08:00

Breawna Smith is a ten year old animal advocate who recently visited the Tiger Truck Stop in Louisiana, listen to her report on Tony and his living conditions...

CUTEST Big Cat Contest! - *WIN Paw Painting!

2010-12-05T22:41:00.001-08:00

Of course we think all of our cats are cute, but we have selected 15 different cats to let viewers decide which they think is the CUTEST! Watch the video decide which cat you think should win, then simply visit our facebook page and comment on their photo, the cat with the most comments and "likes" will be crowned "Big Cat Rescue's Cutest Cat" and the person with the funniest comment will WIN an original Paw Painting by Contestant #8 Narla the cougar worth $100 - The purr-fect Christmas gift!

GEOFFROY CAT Species Spotlight

2010-12-01T01:09:00.001-08:00

Geoffroy cats are one of the smallest species of wild cat in the world! Listen to our Education Director Willow Hecht talk about these tiny cats and the problems they are facing in captivity and in the wild.

Petting Lion & Tiger Cubs at Malls & Fairs

2010-11-29T21:03:00.001-08:00

The idea of petting and playing with a tiger cub has an understandable natural appeal. The cubs are adorable, and the tiger is one of the most powerful and fascinating of all animals. What you don't know haunts them for a lifetime of deprivation and abuse.

Turkey Day for TIGERS!

2010-11-25T03:03:00.001-08:00

We celebrate Thanksgiving at Big Cat Rescue and it's a favorite holiday for the Tigers, Lions and Leopards too! Watch as we hand out whole turkeys and chickens to the big cats living at the sanctuary, the cats consume the whole bird bones 'n all!

TIGER FAIL!! Vegetarian Tiger??

2010-11-17T19:09:00.001-08:00

SHERE KHAN weighs over 700lbs! He is a Siberian/Bengal tiger and he eats grass just like your domestic cat at home :) Why do cats eat grass? ...

*BAD BIG CATS!!

2010-11-13T10:57:00.001-08:00

*FACT: Tigers, Lions, Leopards and any other species of wild cat will NEVER make a suitable "pet". Despite this obvious statement, it's 100% LEGAL to privately own these animals in over half of the United States!

Petting Lion & Tiger Cubs

2010-11-10T23:54:00.001-08:00

When you pay to pet a cub, what are you really supporting? This video shows you how people pimp out tiger cubs to support themselves while making no provisions for the lifetime care of the big cats they are breeding and buying. Watch this video about two such pay to play schemes run by Kathy Stearns of Dade City's Wild Things and Joe Schreibvogel of G.W. Exotics.

BOBCATS of Big Cat Rescue

2010-11-07T21:19:00.001-08:00

Big Cat Rescue is home to 32 bobcats! Whether they are former "pets", fur farm rescues or wild bobcats that were injured and unable to be returned to the wild, they all have permanent sanctuary at BCR.

"BEARCAT" VS PUMPKIN !!

2010-10-31T00:16:00.001-07:00

Big Cat Rescue is home to over 100 Lions, Tigers & Leopards, we are also home to Banjo the Binturong or Bearcat! Watch Banjo enjoy his Halloween treat a pumpkin complete with a banana mouth, plum nose, Fig Newton eyes and grape hair!

Big Cat Halloween

2010-10-26T17:46:00.001-07:00

Tigers, Lions, Leopards...the Big Cats like to carve pumpkins too! Take a look at halloween at Big Cat Rescue!

Lion + White Tiger = Cameron & Zabu!

2010-10-22T16:37:00.001-07:00

Say hello to Big Cat Rescue's "odd couple" Cameron and Zabu (Male African Lion & Female White Tiger) were rescued from a roadside zoo and circus in New Hampshire in 2004.

BIG CAT RESCUE - Fur Ball 2010

2010-10-13T17:33:00.001-07:00

Big Cat Rescue's 11th annual Fur Ball was a roaring success! Thank you to everybody who attended, donated and volunteered, together we are helping to make a difference in the lives of big cats around the world!

Big Cats GO GREEN! How Tigers Recycle!

2010-10-11T10:25:00.001-07:00

Tigers, Lions, Leopards ... we recycle a little differently at Big Cat Rescue! With 45 acres and over 100 big cats to care for we have lots of landscaping projects as well as lots of cats to keep enriched, so we do both at the same time!

Tony the Truck Stop Tiger: UPDATE

2010-10-02T09:38:00.001-07:00

UPDATE: Tony is still "living" at the tiger truck stop in Louisiana, it's very important that we the public keep the pressure on the government agency which decides the fate of Tony.

MEET OUR TIGERS! 2010 Year of the Tiger

2010-09-25T09:34:00.001-07:00

Tigers are one of the most popular animals in the world, instantly recognizable and ultimate predators yet they are a vanishing species...

With more tigers living in captivity in the USA than are left in the wild!

WORLD FIRST - Snow Leopard Lithotripsy.

2010-09-17T16:05:00.001-07:00

Cloe the snow leopard was diagnosed with a kidney infection and kidney stones in her left kidney. We decided the best option to help save her kidney function was to consider lithotripsy.

Bobcat Kittens "The Outside World"

2010-09-08T13:57:00.001-07:00

!!!WARNING!!! This video shows scenes of live animal predation. The three bobcat kittens are released into their outside rehab enclosure!

2010 Big Cat Wins Animal Lovers vs Animal Terrorists

2010-09-06T11:24:00.001-07:00

And attacked we were, albeit mostly just vile verbal attacks from people like Vernon Yates, Alan Rigerman, Gloria Johnson & Lisa Welch among others who wouldn't curse me to my face, but hissed the evil they would do to me as I passed. Others including Kevin Antle of T.I.G.E.R.S, Zuzanna Kuko of R.E.X.A.N.O., Joe Schreibvogal of G.W. Exotics and others have slandered us on the Internet.

Pet Supplies That Support Big Cats

2010-09-06T08:50:00.001-07:00

Want to help Big Cat Rescue AND get great pet supplies? Visit www.petsuppliestampa.com, the brand-new online pet supply store started by Big Cat Rescue’s Operations Manager Gale Ingham and volunteer senior keeper Willow Hecht. Ten percent of the profits from the website will go to Big Cat Rescue!

Petsuppliestampa.com features affordable, quality pet supplies and great customer service from two animal lovers. The site has everything you need for cats, dogs, birds, reptiles, and small mammals, and features products not found in local pet stores. The site also has an extensive inventory of professional-grade grooming supplies, such as shampoos, flea dips, and clippers. Visit www.petsuppliestampa.com to pamper your pets and help the big cats.

Pet Serval Rescued

2010-09-01T14:26:00.001-07:00

Servals are unfortunately very popular in the exotic "pet" trade, we recently rescued Servie the Serval after her owner of ten years was hospitalized and unable to care for her any longer.

Big Cat Rescue AdvoCat News August 2010

2010-08-26T10:51:00.001-07:00

The AdvoCat Newsletter

Big Cat Rescue August 2010

in this issue:
Help Takoma the Bobcat
Bucs Club Seats Raffle
"Most fun event I've..."
AdvoCats Make a Difference
Grrreat Videos to Enjoy
HUGE Enrichment Donation
Cat Behavior Classes
Catera & Sophia Pass On
Bobcats & Blue Martinis
Inside Big Cat Rescue

TIGERS ♥ to Paint !!

2010-08-25T16:20:00.001-07:00

Tigers, Leopards, Lynx....BIG CATS like to paint too! The cats had grr-eat fun creating purr-fect paintings we will auction off at our annual fundraiser the "Fur Ball"

SNOW LEOPARD stalking and attacks!

2010-08-23T14:10:00.001-07:00

Snow Leopards are apex predators and have amazing camouflage, allowing them to get up close to their prey, before their final pounce and attack!

Circus Life..."Captive" Entertainment

2010-08-20T12:17:00.001-07:00

Circus Life...Step Right up to the Greatest Show of Exploitation on Earth!

USDA only requires that a cage for a wild animal be large enough that the animal be able to stand and turn around in the cage.

COUGAR Species Spotlight

2010-08-13T10:17:00.001-07:00

Cougar/Mountain Lion/Panther/Puma/Grey Ghost, whatever these cats are known by, they are very unique animals. Watch the video to learn more about this cat and the problems it is facing in the wild.Cougar/Mountain Lion/Panther/Puma/Grey Ghost, whatever these cats are known by, they are very unique animals. Watch the video to learn more about this cat and the problems it is facing in the wild.Cougar/Mountain Lion/Panther/Puma/Grey Ghost, whatever these cats are known by, they are very unique animals. Watch the video to learn more about this cat and the problems it is facing in the wild.Cougar/Mountain Lion/Panther/Puma/Grey Ghost, whatever these cats are known by, they are very unique animals. Watch the video to learn more about this cat and the problems it is facing in the wild.

Q: Do TIGERS like catnip??

2010-08-03T17:17:00.001-07:00

Ever wondered if big cats like TIGERS, LIONS & LEOPARDS like catnip?

We always get this question from tour guests, so we thought we'd find out!

White Tigers Are All Inbred and Crossbred

2010-08-02T10:53:00.001-07:00

Dr. Dan Laughlin states, “…every white tiger in the U.S. is not only the result of repeated inbreeding of genetically defective animals but, even worse, is a hybrid or crossbred animal. Thus, anyone involved in breeding and/or exhibiting white tigers is doing a great disservice to honest conservation and preservation efforts to save the five remaining and endangered subspecies of tigers barely clinging to survival…”

Liger + Tiger + Lion = BIG CAT RESCUE!

2010-07-29T15:37:00.001-07:00

Liger, Tigers, Lions, Leopards, Cougars, Lynx, Ocelots, Servals, Sand Cats,...Big Cat Rescue located in Tampa Florida, is the world's largest accredited non profit sanctuary. Home to over 100 unwanted, abandoned and abused exotic big cats.

BOBCAT KITTENS Vs Rats/Chicks/Mice!

2010-07-19T18:05:00.001-07:00

BOBCAT KITTENS - Episode 4, since last time we have switched the kittens from their milk diet to solid food (whole prey). They have exploded in size and have been having lots of fun in their inside environment!

Bobcat Kitten FAIL

2010-07-10T18:21:00.001-07:00

Midnight, Rain & Storm are three orphaned Bobcat kittens, find out more here:http://www.bigcatrescue.org/

July 2010 AdvoCat Ezine with Big Cat Rescue News

2010-07-08T13:09:00.001-07:00

The July 2010 issue of the Big Cat Rescue AdvoCat has stories about new tour times, the death of a beloved tiger, how concerned citizens are making the world a safer and more humane place and how a liger and an ocelot were given extraordinary vet care.

Ocelot Ear Surgery at Big Cat Rescue

2010-07-06T13:28:00.001-07:00

When PurrFection the Ocelot developed a hemotoma on her ear she needed emergency surgery to alieviate the swelling. It's been raining for days on end and we didn't want her to suffer so Big Cat Rescuers braved the weather to get her the vet care she needed. When you operate a sanctuary for big cats it is a non stop committment. That means feeding, cleaning, enriching and providing top notch vet care no matter how miserable the weather. Watch this video of the day in the life of Big Cat Rescuers.

R.I.P Snorkel the Tiger ...

2010-07-05T12:30:00.001-07:00

As a cub, Snorkel spent his early years forced to pose as a prop with people for their photos. Then he ended up caged for years at a family circus.Luckily, he found a true safe haven at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, FL.

ANGELICA the BOBCAT

2010-06-28T11:57:00.001-07:00

Angelica the BOBCAT was rescued by Big Cat Rescue after her owner was in foreclosure and unable to keep her any longer. NO wild cat species will ever make a suitable "pet" ... ignorant or uneducated people often find this out the hard way and the cats are always the ones that suffer!

Windsong the Bobcat Founder of Big Cat Rescue Dies, Sanctuary Mourns

2010-06-20T05:56:00.001-07:00

The AdvoCat is a free monthly big cat magazine about the daily operations of a world class sanctuary for lions, tigers, leopards, bobcats and many other exotic wild cats. This June 2010 issue brings the sad news of the death of the "founder."

CANADIAN LYNX Species Spotlight

2010-06-15T10:05:00.001-07:00

http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/captive/canadalynxdanceswithwolves.htmDances With Wolves is the resident Canadian Lynx at Big Cat Rescue. Listen to Master Keeper Barbara Frank talk about Dances and Canadian Lynx in the wild.

Beautiful, Wild and Free.

2010-06-09T12:54:00.001-07:00

Ligers, Sand Cats, Tigers, Lions, Leopards, Cougars, Lynx, Bobcats.....Big Cat Rescue's Theme Song is Beautiful, Wild and Free.

Terez Hartmann, is a seasoned entertainer, speaker, forward-thinking pioneer, entrepreneur and business professional with a background in marketing and psychology.

Because she was so deeply touched by her experience with the magnificent cats of Big Cat Rescue, she chose to write a song to honor these amazing creatures AND for a limited time, offer a portion of the proceeds of this download purchase to benefit the cats!

BOBCAT KITTENS! "Play Time"

2010-06-05T12:16:00.001-07:00

The cute bobcat kittens are really growing fast! This video introduces the viewer to the purrsonalities of the individual kittens! Follow the progress of the kittens here LIVE! http://www.bigcatrescue.org/video/00352.htm

Dangerous Trade: About the Show Dealing in Tigers

2010-06-04T10:13:00.001-07:00

Don't miss Dangerous Trade on Planet Green (which features International Tiger Coalition and Global Tiger Initiative members)!

Tune into Planet Green at 10 pm on June 6th (in the USA) to follow the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) as they protect the natural world from environmental crime and abuse.

Working undercover to expose international environmental crime—illegal wildlife trading, illegal logging and trade in timber species, and the worldwide trade in ozone depleting substances—EIA has directly brought about changes in international laws and the policies of governments, saving the lives of millions of rare and endangered animals and putting a stop to the devastating effects of environmental criminals. The work they with their Indian colleagues at the Wildlife Protection Society of India, for example, helped to piece together the tiger skin trail in 2004 and 2005—which contributed to major changes in the patterns of consumption.

As the tiger team leader Debbie Banks puts it, the primary message of the show is: "this isn’t rocket science... it would be very straightforward to break the back of this illegal trade. If a small NGO with limited resources can uncover such a vast amount of information in a short space of time, then why can’t the Chinese authorities? If only they would apply the resources, they could make a serious dent in the criminal networks that control this trade."

At the start of Dangerous Trade and the tiger trade investigation, the Environmental Investigation Agency finds that people were being forced by Chinese officials to wear skins at traditional festivals to undermine the Dalai Lama’s appeal in 2006 to respect the tiger, which led to Tibetans burning all their big cat skins. Additional information indicated that people were still trading skins... Find out what EIA?s learns about who is trafficking skins into China and how. Cameras follow the surveillance team as it tracks the EIA undercover operatives—watch the show and you'll learn in suspense!

Check out the tv schedule for listings.

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/dangerous-trade-about-the-show.html

BIG CAT Proposal...

2010-05-29T16:18:00.001-07:00

There was a BIG surprise waiting for one of our keeper tour guests recently, when her partner had organized a surprise proposal in our tour waiting area at the sanctuary!

Mary Poppins Crew Visits Big Cat Rescue

2010-05-26T16:23:00.001-07:00

A” Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” Day at Big Cat Rescue!

Tampa, Fl.… On Thursday, May 27^th, company members from the North American touring production of MARY POPPINS, currently performing at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts (formerly the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) through Sunday, June 6, 2010, will visit Big Cat Rescue, the largest accredited sanctuary in the United States dedicated to the rescue and rehabilitation of exotic cats.

The MARY POPPINS North American tour celebrated its first anniversary on March 25, 2010 and announced that it had achieved the milestone of being the most successful touring theatrical event in 2009.

Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit educational sanctuary, is devoted to rescuing and providing a permanent home for exotic (i.e. wild, not domestic) cats who have been abused, abandoned, bred to be pets, retired from performing acts, or saved from being slaughtered for fur coats. The sanctuary’s mission includes educating the public about these animals and the issues facing them in captivity and in the wild.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to partner together with the cast of Mary Poppins” said Jeff Kremer, Director of Donor Appreciation with the nonprofit sanctuary.

The company of Mary Poppins will arrive at Big Cat Rescue at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 27^th , for a private tour of the sanctuary, where “A Spoon Full of Catnip Helps the Medicine Go Down!”

Big Cat Rescue is a 501(c)(3) not-profit charity. The sanctuary receives no government support and relies on its educational activities, such as tours of the facility, and the generosity of donors such as the cast and crew of Mary Poppins to support the magnificent animals that call the sanctuary home.

Following their visit to the sanctuary, these energetic folks will head back to the Straz Center for the Performing Arts to take the stage in what will likely be a most inspired performance.

For more information visit: www.strazcenter.org. and www.BigCatRescue.org

Help Save a Serval

2010-05-25T13:08:00.001-07:00

A bobcat with a broken leg nears starvation so his human neighbors called Big Cat Rescue to come to his aid. Voting for Big Cat Rescue at the Animal Rescue Site is a great way to help rescue bobcats like this at no cost to you.

Rarest Cat in the World? DENTAL SURGERY

2010-05-22T16:07:00.001-07:00

TONGA, a very rare White Serval - (Only two in the world that we know of) was found to have a broken tooth. We assessed the tooth and decided that the best thing to do was to capture Tonga and take him to the veterinary clinic where it could be treated.

WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE HOW HIS TREATMENT WENT!

Animal Rescue Site Enables Bobcat Rescue

2010-05-17T10:51:00.001-07:00

Purr-fect Mom to Baby Bobcats!

2010-05-08T12:38:00.001-07:00

Update on the three orphaned bobcat kittens...Midnight, Rain and Storm are all doing grr-eat thanks to their surrogate mum Bobbi the domestic cat!

They're all eating well and gaining weight and starting to explore their environment more!

Follow the progress of the kittens here LIVE! http://www.bigcatrescue.org/video/003...

For more info about BIG CAT RESCUE visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org
Find us on FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Cat...
MYSPACE: http://www.myspace.com/1bigcatrescue
TWITTER: http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue
DONATE: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/donate.htm

THANK YOU!

Animal Planet Hero of the Year Award Contest

2009-09-16T17:05:00.001-07:00

Big Cat Rescue's Operations Manager, Scott Lope, makes the Top 10 out of more than 4500 contestants who were nominated for Animal Planet's Hero of the Year Awards

Scott Lope

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PRLog (Press Release) – Sep 16, 2009 – If Scott wins it could mean $60,000 to the lions, tigers and other exotic wild cats at Big Cat Rescue! The economy has hit animal rescue groups very hard, but the big cats have big appetites and they have to be fed. There are two contests right now that have a combined prize of $60,000 in cash and advertising and Big Cat Rescue has a very good chance of winning with the public's help.

Until Sept. 27, 2009 people can vote once a day for Scott Lope, Operations's manager of Big Cat Rescue, to win Animal Planet's Hero of the Year Award. Scott had a career in medicine, but gave it up to be a full time volunteer and then staff at Big Cat Rescue. There is a video of him in action rescuing all kinds of animals in addition to the care he provides the big cats at Big Cat Rescue here: http://www.BigCatRescue.org

"This is great publicity for the plight of big cats and it will provide $10,000 in cash to feed the cats at Big Cat Rescue as well as a much needed vacation for Scott" says CEO and Founder, Carole Baskin. The public can vote daily here:

http://animal.discovery.com/roar/hero-of-the-year/vote/

Until Sept. 20, 2009 readers can vote daily for Big Cat Rescue in facebook's contest where their votes have gotten Big Cat Rescue into the last round of top 4 charities to win $50,000 in co branded advertising. The public can vote daily here:

http://apps.facebook.com/voteforacause/

# # #

Big Cat Rescue, a non profit educational sanctuary, is devoted to rescuing and providing a permanent home for exotic (i.e. wild, not domestic) cats who have been abused, abandoned, bred to be pets, retired from performing acts, or saved from being slaughtered for fur coats, and to educating the public about these animals and the issues facing them in captivity and in the wild.

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Until Sept. 27, 2009 you can vote once a day for Scott Lope, our Operations's manager, to win Animal Planet's Hero of the Year Award. As many of you already know, Scott had a career in medicine, but gave it up to be a full time volunteer and then staff at Big Cat Rescue. You can see a video of him in action rescuing all kinds of animals in addition to the care he provides the big cats at Big Cat Rescue on our web site at http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Please help him win as this is great publicity for the plight of big cats and it will provide $10,000 in cash to feed the cats at Big Cat Rescue as well as a much needed vacation for Scott. Your DAILY vote can win this for us here:

http://animal.discovery.com/roar/hero-of-the-year/vote/

Until Sept. 20, 2009 you can vote daily for Big Cat Rescue in facebook's contest where your votes have gotten us into the last round of top 4 charities to win $50,000 in co branded advertising. Please vote DAILY here and ask your friends to do the same:

http://apps.facebook.com/voteforacause/

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Baby Bobcat and Fawn Take Refuge Together from Fire

2009-09-16T07:24:00.001-07:00

Baby Bobcat and Fawn Take Refuge Together from Fire

The Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara, CA caused these two to take shelter together. The fawn is 3 days old and the bobcat about 3 weeks. The fawn came from somewhere in the fire and the bobcat from Carpinteria. They immediately bonded and snuggled together under a desk in the Santa Barbara County Dispatch Office for several hours.

Animal Planet is reporting the bobcat kitten was rescued near Arnold Schwarzenegger's ranch, where it was dehydrated and near death.

They rescued the fawn during last weeks wildfire. Although wild animals, especially of separate species, are never placed together due to regulations, in this emergency situation, they had no choice. During the mayhem of the fire, they were forced to put animals anywhere they could, since they had run out of crates large enough for the fawn. The kitten ran to the fawn, and it was instant bonding.

Lets hope these two get a second chance at living free by going to a legitimate rehabber like Big Cat Rescue.

Big Cat Vote Worth Big Bucks

Your votes could mean $60,000 for the lions, tigers and other big cats of Big Cat Rescue and a vacation for Scott.

Your votes could mean $60,000 to the lions, tigers and other exotic wild cats at Big Cat Rescue! The economy has hit us all very hard, but the big cats have big appetites and we have to keep feeding them. There are two contests right now that have a combined prize of $60,000 in cash and advertising and we have a very good chance of winning with your help.

Until Sept. 27, 2009 you can vote once a day for Scott Lope, our Operations's manager, to win Animal Planet's Hero of the Year Award. As many of you already know, Scott had a career in medicine, but gave it up to be a full time volunteer and then staff at Big Cat Rescue. You can see a video of him in action rescuing all kinds of animals in addition to the care he provides the big cats at Big Cat Rescue on our web site at http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Please help him win as this is great publicity for the plight of big cats and it will provide $10,000 in cash to feed the cats at Big Cat Rescue as well as a much needed vacation for Scott. Your DAILY vote can win this for us here:

http://animal.discovery.com/roar/hero-of-the-year/vote/

Until Sept. 20, 2009 you can vote daily for Big Cat Rescue in facebook's contest where your votes have gotten us into the last round of top 4 charities to win $50,000 in co branded advertising. Please vote DAILY here and ask your friends to do the same:

http://apps.facebook.com/voteforacause/

Thanks, Carole Baskin CEO of Big Cat Rescue

Join us at the 2009 Fur Ball Mask-Grrr-Ade Party!

Join in our annual celebration and fund raiser. It's a party, it's an auction (including for international travel to see exotic cats in their true habitat!), it's a Rolex watch raffle…So, whether you are in Tampa, FL and can attend or are more distant and must support from afar, we have something for you!

Brief podium time will focus on details of the rescue of Freckles the liger and her two tiger companions Cookie and Alex after they were abandoned in Mississippi. Learn more about the heartbreaking story of their lives before being rescued. The great news is that proceeds from this event will provide a safe home for these exotic cats for rest of their days.

Reserve Your "Spots" At The Fur Ball Today!

Learn more about the Big Cat Rescue 10th Annual Fur Ball.

Buy your ticket now for the must-attend charity event coming this fall to Tampa, Florida.

Participate in the Pre-Ball Silent Auction.

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign send a quick and easy letter to protect tigers and bobcats here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=13810331

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Big Cat Rescue director up for Animal Planet hero award

2009-09-14T10:49:00.001-07:00

By LEIGH SPANN
News Channel 8
Published: September 14, 2009

TAMPA - It takes a lot to be a hero, and for one Tampa man it takes a lot of meat.

Scott Lope, director of operations at the nonprofit wildlife sanctuary Big Cat Rescue, helps house and feed nearly 115 large cats every day. Cable television channel Animal Planet has rewarded his work in educating the public about the plight of these animals by naming him a finalist for its Hero of the Year.

One of the volunteers at Big Cat Rescue, Sharyn Beach, wrote the letter that nominated Lope. She says she has been inspired by his dedication.

"Long after we're asleep at night, Scott's still working, and long before we wake up in the morning, he's already working," Beach wrote.
That letter put Lope in the top 10 out of 4,500 entries. In the letter, Beach focused on Lope's ability to educate and inspire others about the animals he cares for. She notes how kids have their birthday parties at the rescue and ask for donations for the animals instead of getting presents.

"One person doing a lot of work is a great thing, but what's really important is getting out there and talking to other people about what's going on with these animals," Beach wrote.

Lope began working at the Big Cat Rescue 11 years ago as a volunteer. At the time, he had a job in the medical field, but he decided to follow his dream of working with animals.

"Really decided that this was more important than some of the material things that really aren't that important. So I quit my job and moved here," Lope said.

It's been an amazing journey, he said, and he considers himself lucky to be able to work with the animals.
And he really hopes he inspires change.

"Just in the last 10 years, here at the Big Cat Rescue, we've worked to get laws changed. We've gotten animals out of a terrible situation all over the country," Lope said.

It is no easy task to feed and house more than 100 big cats. Big Cat Rescue, which is at 12802 Easy St., has a $1 million annual budget. It costs $7,500 a year to care for each of the 23 lions and tigers.

One of the prizes for the person chosen as Animal Planet's Hero of the Year is $10,000 toward his or her animal charity. Lope said that will take care of one of those lions or tigers for a whole year.

The winner of the Hero of the Year contest will be announced Dec. 18 during Animal Planet's Heroes Week. Voting started today and continues through Sept. 27.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/sep/14/big-cat-rescue-director-animal-planet-hero-award/

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign send a quick and easy letter to protect tigers and bobcats here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=13810331

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Vote for Scott Lope

2009-09-13T16:56:00.001-07:00

Vote Scott Lope as Animal Planet's Hero of the Year

Please vote for Big Cat Rescue's Operation's Manager, Scott Lope, every day for the next 2 weeks. That is 14 votes per person and should really help him win. Scott says, "It would be great to get the $10,000 for BCR and the much needed vacation for me! Please send to every one you know, every vote counts! Thank you so much!"

Feel free to snag this image so that you can post to your Facebook, Myspace and other social networking accounts to remind yourself and friends to vote each day.

AnimalPlanet.com/hero

Vote for Big Cat Rescue to Win $50,000

We made it to the next round in Intel's vote for a cause contest to win $50,000 in co-branded advertising with Intel.

Second round from 9/5/2009 12:00 AM PST to 9/8/2009 11:59 PM PST - top 16 will go on to third Voting Round.

Please visit this page and vote for Big Cat Rescue, then send out invite to friends to do the same :)

http://apps.facebook.com/voteforacause/

Comment on Tigers at Mall by GW Exotics - Awakening Productions

2009-09-13T06:22:00.001-07:00

TAYLOR — When Judi Vig, a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, saw exotic animals on display Wednesday at Southland Center, it sent alarms off in her mind.  

She called City Hall to check that everything was in order with the display and to voice concerns about the animals' welfare.  Vig said PETA has had issues with G.W. Exotic Animals of Wynnewood, Okla., which houses the animals Awakening Production uses.  

Awakening Production came to Southland with lion and tiger cubs and a baby kangaroo.  It set up a display where people could see the animals, and if they wanted, pay $25 for two people to spend eight minutes in a cage with tiger cubs and a trainer.  

Today is the show's last day.  Awakening Production had not obtained a permit to hold a special event, which is required, said Joseph Nardone, the city's executive director of development services.  

A representative of the company came to City Hall with a letter from Southland Center giving permission for the event and to seek a permit, he said.  Ordinance and animal control officers investigated the complaint, he said.  Animal control officers found no violations, city officials said. The permit was issued.  As of Thursday afternoon, the company was in compliance with all city ordinances, Nardone said.  

"Getting to touch a baby tiger is a moment in a lifetime," said Michael Bussey, stage manager for Awakening Production.

  "You're seated. You go in with a certified trainer. The tigers will roam around the cage, crawl on your lap, and you can pet them."

  There were plenty of takers, from young children to a 93-year-old woman, he said. But mainly, it was young families, especially mothers with their children.  

Awakening Production also put on a free magic show each day. The purpose behind the magic show is to educate the public about ownership of exotic animals, Bussey said.

  It booked several visits with General Growth Properties, which owns Southland Center and other malls across the country, Bussey said.  

Awakening Production came with a 4-month-old white tiger; two 8-week-old tigers, which went into the play cages with visitors; a 13-week-old tiger; two 3-week-old lions; and a 3-month-old kangaroo, said Vicky Welch, road manager and animal caretaker.  

Fourteen people, including stage crew and animal caretakers, travel with the animals, Welch said.

This paper makes it easy to post your comments without having to go through a tedious sign up hassle here:

http://www.thenewsherald.com/articles/2009/09/12/news/doc4aabdcd7f2446752163884.txt#blogcomments

Some of the Best Comments:

all you sorry people that have no clear understanding related to animal rights....The show at Southland was for self gain......Do you all know HOW MUCH MONEY THEY MADE! At the expense of breeding tigers that they can take around the country...to make money off you fools then they give or sell those tigers when they are too big...they end up in China and so on for their herbal cures....you people need to wake up, your just as guilty as they are....don't tell this woman to wake up she is very much awake...which is more then what I can say to you sorry people that can't engage your children into more productive activity to protect the environment and rights of animals.....you all get off easy putting your kid in a cage with an abused animal and you think your TEACHING or putting a star on your forehead for being a good parent....do your homework first!!!! Also, PETA along with other animal groups are all around...what do you think your local animal shelters, PAWS, etc.....what do you think they do...Also, The circus animals are also in a mess of abuse....pay attention and get involved...Don't attend GIB. Trade Center Circus......I wonder how many of you people that gave your hard earned money or welfare check money to this group just ignored putting a good meal on your table for your kids....Oh I know I forgot people like you get off easy.....processed food for the kids...right...$1.00 burgers at mcdonalds....PS.....I'm proud of my kids they wanted NO part of this! " go michigan

" I'm not a member of PETA but would NEVER EVER put my kids in a cage with a wild animal.....I don't ever want them to think that it is cute or FAIR to the animal, they do not need to be in cages they need to be in their natural environment.....free....not caged! City of Taylor and Southland should be ashamed for allowing this! I'm HAPPY this girl made the phone call....we need more people like her... " non member of PeTA

" while everyone who paid money to sit with an exotic animal and said it was a great family moment talk about wake up and smell the real world if u thought that was so great an experience WHAT ABOUT THE ANIMALS where are their parents? how about the family experience for the wild animals?For areal family experience try the park, playing catch with ur kids when are parents going to get it MEMORIES CANNOT BE BOUGHT THEY MUST BE EXPERIENCED!!Thankfully this woman knew that and tried to point that out, good for her THANK YOU!!! " wendy

" I was at the mall today doing some shopping with my son. We didn't even know about the 'show' until we were walking through the mall.

We wandered over and looked into one of the cages. There was a man sitting on the floor, holding his toddler daughter. The little girl was terrified of the baby tiger. She was screaming and kicking at the tiger. I think she made contact at one point. The employee never suggested the child be taken out of the cage, nor did the father have enough brains to cut the 'visit' short.

Now, repeat that scenario several times a day, in different cities, year round and tell me that these animals aren't being exploited and mistreated. It made me sick.

I am not a member of PETA. I agree that the organization is full of kooks. They were correct in their assessment of this 'show', however. " calumet

" This is another sad excuse for an "educational show", where in reality these animals are being exploited for one reason only – monetary gain. These cute baby tiger and lion cubs will grow up to be 300-500 lb big cats and are destined for a life in captivity or worse, can end up in canned hunts or killed for the black market. There are more tigers in captivity in the United States then there are in the wild. Until laws are passed restricting private ownership and exploitation of these great cats, this type of animal cruelty will continue. For more information about "Big Cat Exhibition" visit: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/bigcatexhibition.htm " tigress62

Why would you ask such a question? "Are you with them 24/7"? Well, what you do think? NO! That is why I said hopefully, they get fed and are well taken care of. I do not associate with the animals mentioned in this article nor do I know the trainers and/or owners.

Think about this, "protectanimals", they MUST be PROPERLY TRAINED, because why else would this company allow people to GO INSIDE THE CAGES WITH THE ANIMALS? It would be insane to let in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animals, babies or not.

Here's something else to think about. If the animals weren't trained, don't you think the company would of done something about that? Obviously they are, because why would a company like this allow in-experienced people into a cage with a wild animal? I don't post on this blog to argue! " josh

" Josh.....they are pretty harmless at this age........they are far from trained, they are helpless and are used for money (it's a million dollar company), when they get too big they are not used anymore, they only breed them for their shows and once they get a certain age thats it for them.....'cause they can not be on the shows anymore..they sure would not let a child go in a cage with an adult tiger...this person who made the call to the city did it out of concern and I have to agree with her...this company just came in for the money and they will go to the next town....they made alot of money from the downriver residents, they are pros! " " Also, Josh, Those workers would NEVER get in a cage with an adult tiger or lion....Never....the workers are only trained to work the crowd for the money and once again they have duped the public....those poor animals....their fate will not be good...I'm a retired teacher and have been a advocate for animals for many many years and have also known about this G.W. Exotic Animal group for a long time, they are very sly and never let anyone know what town they are going to next. "protectanimals

" How can any reporter do a story about baby lions and tigers at a mall and not investigate how it was that they were bred into such a miserable life and what will happen with them in a couple of months when they are too big to pet. Any one with access to the Internet could easily find out that these precious animals will spend the rest of their lives in tiny, filthy cages, be shot for their pelts, cut up for meat or worse. If people don't know, it is because they choose to be ignorant, but that doesn't ease the suffering. More at Dying To Be Held http://www.bigcatrescue dot org/000news/0articlesbybcr/2008DyingToBeHeld dot htm "

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign send a quick and easy letter to protect tigers and bobcats here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=13810331

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Scott Lope Featured in Tampa Tribune

2009-09-02T06:08:00.001-07:00

Lope is an expert on lions, tigers, panthers

By WALT BELCHER wbelcher@tampatrib.com

Published: September 2, 2009

Are big black panthers on the prowl in upstate New York?

Are dangerous leopards or jaguars on the loose?

Cue the spooky music. Roll the grainy video of cat-like creatures.

Tonight's episode of "Monster Quest" at 8 p.m. on the History channel explores sightings of large dark feline critters near a state park 18 miles north of New York City.

A team of trackers, scientists and technicians use surveillance equipment in an attempt to find out whether anything is lurking in the woods, or if it's a hoax, or if overactive imaginations are at work.

One expert that "Monster Quest" turns to for this episode is Scott Lope, director of operations at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa.

Lope says the evidence he was asked to evaluate was inconclusive. "Some of the footage looked like just big domestic cats," he says.

However it's not impossible for exotic animals to be on the loose in the United States because so many people have them as pets, he notes.

"You would be surprised how many people in Hillsborough County have permits for exotic animals."

Lope, 41, has worked for Big Cat Rescue for 16 years. He has become the go-to guy for commentary on lions, tigers, leopards, panthers and other wild animals.

In addition to numerous appearances on Animal Planet and History, he has been featured on Discovery Channel, ABC's "20/20," CNN and Jack Hanna's animal shows.

He has been the feline and dangerous captive wildlife expert on two seasons of "Untamed & Uncut" and three seasons of "Monster Quest." He has appeared on Nickelodeon's "Animal Atlas" and Animal Planet's "Misadventure."

Lope also is featured in "Lion Feeding Frenzy," one of the most popular specials on Animal Planet and Discovery. He goes inside a transparent box placed in the middle of a pack of lions to observe what happens when lions fight for food in the wild.

Lope, who is from Pennsylvania, joined the Air Force right out of high school. After serving in the Gulf War, he was stationed at MacDill Air Force Base and has made Tampa his home for nearly 20 years; He first joined the nonprofit Big Cat Rescue preserve as a volunteer.

"I was going into the medical profession but I found my life's calling here," he says.

He now oversees the daily operation of a sanctuary that is home to 150 animals and is devoted to helping the big cats, some of which have been abused, or abandoned, or retired from performing.

He says that his appearances on television help educate people about these animals and the dangers of keeping exotic cats as pets.

You can comment here:

http://tboextra.com/content/2009/sep/02/na-lope-is-an-expert-on-lions-tigers-panthers/tboextra/

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

“PDKats” EVENT FEEDS THE LIONS AND TIGERS AT BIG CAT RESCUE

2009-05-29T16:25:00.001-07:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Bonnie Kirstein
558-5300 ext. 230

"PDKats" EVENT FEEDS THE LIONS AND TIGERS AT BIG CAT RESCUE AND THE MINDS OF HILLSBOROUGH STUDENTS

Tampa, FL (May 27, 2009) – The Tampa Chapter of Phi Delta Kappa (PDK), the premier professional association for educators, in concert with the Hillsborough County School District, recently completed their first fundraising contest event for students called "PDKats."

According to Dr. Jacquelyn Masters, Principal of Seminole Elementary School and President of PDK, the program has two goals: "The first goal is to enhance the interest of the students in learning about wild animals and foster their compassion for these magnificent creatures by having them feel the personal satisfaction of raising funds to feed these rescued big cats. The second is to support a wonderful area nonprofit organization that has, for many years, provided our students with a totally unique educational experience."

The month long contest, held in April, was open to all of the schools in Hillsborough County and was chaired by Bonnie Kirstein of Davidsen Middle School and co-chaired by Katey Runey of Farnell Middle School. The goal for each school was to raise $250, the approximate cost of feeding the lions and tigers at Big Cat Rescue for one day. At the final tally a total of $3,783.95 has been donated, which is equivalent to the cost of feeding one tiger or lion for one full year!

Each class that achieved the goal will be recognized on a sign outside Big Cat Rescue's Trading Post for one year. In addition to this special recognition, the students of the class raising the most money to feed the cats will receive free tour passes to the sanctuary. Big Cat Rescue will also film a special podcast of the winning students to post on the sanctuary's YouTube channel, which is currently the 7th most watched non-profit channel. The Teacher of the winning class and the Principal and Area Director of that school, as a reward for their efforts in promoting this educational experience, each receive a 3 day weekend in a Jaguar XF provided by Jaguar of Tampa and a 3 day/2 night stay for two on St. Pete Beach at the Sirata Beach Resort. Both corporate sponsors are long time supporters of Big Cat Rescue.

The winning teacher was David Nelson from the PE Department at Davidsen Middle School, whose class raised $1,400. Brent McBrien, Principal of Davidsen, and Area 2 Director, Jerry Jackson were the other winners, but Mr. Jackson opted to defer his prizes to one of his other teachers, who he felt did the footwork in this effort, Ms. Jani Rouse at Lomax Elementary.

"Education is a critical element of our mission at Big Cat Rescue," said Education Director Beth Kamhi. "On the over 70 school field trips to the sanctuary each year, students benefit by learning scientific facts that are made more meaningful and memorable by the feelings evoked when actually meeting these magnificent animals in person. There is compelling evidence that learning compassion for animals as a child translates into compassion for people as an adult, and this opportunity for affective learning is extraordinary. As students participate in donating to feed the animals, the PDKats program adds a dimension of direct involvement and pride, enriching the educational experience and emotional connection. We are thrilled about this exciting collaboration with PDK and enhancement of our long time partnership with the Hillsborough County School District! We would like to offer our profound appreciation to Bonnie Kirstein for all her hard work coordinating this event, and to PDK and the Hillsborough students, teachers and staff."

About PDK

PDK, the premier professional association for educators, was founded in 1906 and today has chapters across the United States and abroad. The association strives for educational excellence through a wide range of innovative initiatives. These include providing educators with information about current issues to promote dialog about which policies, ideology and methods to adopt. PDK also works to connect members with the community and the school district through service projects and networking opportunities. The local chapter has participated in "Paint your heart out Tampa Bay," "Toys for Students" (a home grown project with the district's social workers to make sure all children have a gift for the holidays), and now the PDKats Program. For further information on PDK visit www.pdkintl.org.

About Big Cat Rescue

Big Cat Rescue, a non-profit organization, provides a permanent home for abandoned, abused and orphaned exotic cats. Over 100 lions, tigers, leopards, bobcats and more reside at the astonishing 45 acre Citrus Park refuge, making it one of the largest sanctuaries in the world devoted to big cats. Big Cat Rescue is located at 12802 Easy Street, across the street from the mall at Citrus Park. For further information on the sanctuary, please visit www.BigCatRescue.org, call 813.920.4130 or send an email inquiry to Info@BigCatRescue.org.

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Tiger Bone Wine and Medicines

2009-05-14T12:54:00.001-07:00

Source: Open source

Date: 04/24/09

Author: Elise Woods

Recently, WWF Traffic released a publication called Paper Tigers? The role of the US Captive Tiger Population in the Trade in Tiger Parts.pdf (1) which calls for better regulatory overview of the tiger population in the United States. Today, the two largest single populations of tigers are now those that reside in captivity in China and the United States (2). Ongoing black market demand has relegated the tiger to a black market status of worth more dead than alive. Much of this black market enters the U.S. and Canada in the form of Traditional Asian Medicines (TAM) or Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM). CBP Agriculture Specialists and CBP Officers are the very tip of the point for recognizing, regulating and whenever possible, referring relevant medicines to US Fish and Wildlife Officials for legal enforcement. Every good seizure of prohibited medicine gives us another bread crumb of information leading to the tangled world of illegal wildlife trade, industrial level pharmaceutical manufacturers, tiger /bear farms and international shipping, all of which hide the dirt under the cover of legitimate trade. With that in mind, allow me to share what I have learned so far.

1. Federal officials have found several tiger medicines this year.

A. Leopard Bone, Musk and Ephedra Plaster Bandage.

One of the most recent is a Chinese Patent medicine manufactured by ZHEJIANG DINGTAI PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD, a "one of the leading manufacturing enterprises for medical dressing materials (bandages, gauze etc) in China according to their website: http://www.zjdingtai.com". Not surprisingly, one of their most interesting products is not listed on their website, and well it should not be as it contains two CITES listed ingredients and a banned FDA ingredient. Z33020963 is the patent trade number for this specific medicine from this specific company. Note: So far, all the Chinese Patents found have contained a similar style number that starts with "Z".

Shexiang Zhuanggu Gao Z33020963, Leopard Bone, Musk, Ephedra,

麝香 (Musk) 、豹骨 (Leopard bone) 、麻黄 (Ephedra

«"Z" number will be found on the lower half of label.

B. Another brand of Shexiangzhuanggu Gao plasters Z42021305?

These (1 and 2) were found in exams this week while the last label with the obvious tiger picture is listed in an online advertisement for the same trade name and number. They are all the same medicated plasters from the same company: HUANGSHI HYGIENIC MATERIAL PHARMACEUTICAL CO., LTD (http://www.hsssh.com). All three boxes are labeled for the same patent product although the pictures are different. In English on the box label it states the musk is artificial, and no bone is mentioned outside of the online advertisement translations*. The medicine does contain regulated ingredients such as Adeps Lanae (Hydrous Wool Fat), Ephedra and Chondroitin Sulfate for certain, along with several other herbs on which research is ongoing. We will need better determination as to the musk ingredient and possible bone products including tiger or leopard for future Fish and Wildlife Enforcement opportunities. The online business Chinese advertisement translates via Bablefish into the following:

*"Medicinal extract brand Shen Nong the tiger specification 6.5*10*6 ingredient musk strong bone paste extracts… Uses the Shennongjia natural typical traditional Chinese medicine, the curative effect is good, turning head rate is high; Original musk tiger bone paste improvement product; Yunnan natural high quality rubber; The technique of production changes the advanced beating law by the dry pressing… 4th, domestic only through American FDA registration Chinese medicinal plaster (registration number 3003980579); 5th, obtains the Chinese international monopoly and the name brand exposition gold medal. " (Note: For what it is worth, Google search for Shennongjia includes the Shennongjia Nature Reserve which does house some species of protected felids).

Shexiangzhuanggu Gao Z42021305 ,

C. Well known tiger bone pill.

Bug symbol might be different (seen also with butterfly). Compare to pictures on page Traditional Asian Medicine Identification Guide for Law Enforcers- version II (pg. 2.9 #B) . Note: tiger bone character (虎骨) is on ingredient label, chicken symbol on front (H5N1 disease risk) and also contains Deer antler (Anthrax, FMD disease risk), both of which also appear on the ingredient list in Traditional Chinese characters. Gel capsule content inspection will show bone bits under microscope.

Box Bottle and pills Tiger gel cap contents

D. Vietnamese Little Tiger Medication.

According to PAX this had tiger and monkey bone. Note the Black Cat Picture and the word "Cao" which is Vietnamese (vn) word which means "jelly" when associated with TAM. In this case it is referring to animal jelly made by boiling desired animal part (usually bone or Cao xương (Vn)-bone jelly).

2. Canadians win one against tiger bone medicine trader.

I recently contacted a Federal Wildlife Officer for Environment Canada Wildlife Enforcement Division to request pictures and information regarding their recent successful case against Wing Quon Enterprises Ltd., for possessing and attempting to sell medicines containing parts from Tigers and other protected species. Thanks to the recent change in CITES, they were able to make the case on labeling alone. They seized up to 1200 bottles of the endangered plant medication, 200 of one of the bear meds and 50 for each of the tiger meds. 1200 bottles were labeled as was being imported, the rest found in the warehouse either being sold or found during their warrant. Pictures of seizure are found in Attachment A. They have also been instrumental in helping build information on known TAM issues and identification guides.

3. Other important translations from TAM labels and research: Hu, Gu, hổ

Note: Look for Bone symbol "骨" and THEN for tiger or leopard or other animal symbol!

báo (Vn)	panther
Cao xương (Vn)	bone jelly
con cọp (Vn)	tiger
hãc lão hổ (Vn)	"black Tiger"-may be radix dipsaci plant if 黑老虎 also present
hēi lǎo hǔ (Ch-Pinyin)	black tiger
hổ (Vn)	tiger
hǔ (Ch)	tiger
Hu Gu (Os Tigris) (Ch)	Tiger Bones.
Hu Gu Jiu (Ch. Recipe)	Medicated Wine with Tiger Bone,Secretio Moschus,Cornu Cervi,
Hu Qian Wan (1/2) (Ch. Recipe)	Hidden Tiger Pill;
huāng; 衁 (Vn or Ch)	blood
huyết (vn)	blood
lǎo hǔ	tiger
Os (latin)	os, ossis: Latin os = bone; plural - ossa,
Panthera	Large cats
Panthera leo	Lion
Panthera pardus	Leopard
Panthera tigris	Tiger
Shen Rong Hu Gu Wan	Ginseng, Deer Antler and Tiger Bone Pill; Ginseng-Cornu Cervi-Os Tigris Pill
Tiger bone	虎骨
Leopard bone	豹骨
大猫	Big Cat (Chinese)
獅	Lion
獅	Panthera leo
老虎	lǎo hǔ, tiger
虎	hǔ; tiger
虎	Panthera tigris
虎骨	Tiger bone
豹骨	Leopard bone
骨	bone (looks like a person)

4. H5N1 tigers from Sri Racha Tiger Zoo

Has anyone seen this heartwarming e-mail asking can't we just get along like the tiger and pigs in this picture?

*http://www.snopes.com/photos/animals/tigerpig.asp

I received this from a friend recently and thought this picture looked familiar. According to Snopes.com, the cute tiger-pigs were actually taken* at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo in Thailand. This zoo also has or had the Sri Racha Traditional Health Clinic on site and were caught selling tiger bone pills a few years ago (3). According to a contact with Zoological Society of London/and International Tiger Coalition (ITC) associate, the difference between zoos and farms boils down to management:

"Zoos keep tigers in natural social groups (alone, a pair, a mother with cubs or possibly a pair with cubs) and practice "conservation breeding" in which the goal is maximum retention of genetic diversity and strategies include avoidance of inbreeding, equalisation of founder representation and lengthening of interbirth interval (slower breeding). Tiger farms, in contrast, are aiming for maximum production of product in terms of bones (and also of tourist revenues as a side benefit). The management strategy necessary for maximum production of tiger bones is parallel to that used in intensive farming of any domestic animal - fixing desirable traits through inbreeding, rapidly selecting for stock that does well in the unnatural conditions, producing as many animals as possible in any given time period, and then housing them all together to save on enclosure costs until they are full sized and can be harvested. "Farming" in this manner results in rapid and large-scale loss of genetic diversity, in direct contrast to conservation breeding as practised by zoos (4).

There exists a lot of controversy with this particular zoo.

Another concern to USDA and CBP is the susceptibility of tigers to High Pathogenic (HP) H5N1 avian influenza (AI) which has been proven to be linked to illegal trade and transport of infected poultry or exotic birds. In 2003, H5N1 in big cats was first documented in a Suphanburi, Thailand zoo where two leopards and two tigers died (5).

Then, in, 2004, there was a H5N1 bird flu outbreak which affected the tigers at Sri Racha Tiger Zoo as confirmed by the National Institute of Animal Health laboratory (6).

At Sri Racha, 147 tigers out of 441 total population died of infection or were euthanized which meant that, as documented, approximately 31% (45 tigers) of the cull were sick tigers, and approximately 69% (102) were culled to control the spread of the disease (6) (9). Note: OIE Follow-up report numbers used as final count.

Standard disease eradication procedures are to dispose of the bodies of the culled animals in a way that eradicates the viral, bacterial or spore disease risk. Previous studies indicated that implementation of control (including disposition of dead animals) is difficult in Thailand (7). News reports at the time raised an alarming issue regarding the disposal of the sick and euthanized tigers.

"Conservationists were alarmed that the dead tigers were not incinerated after their lung tissue samples tested positive for bird flu. Viruses tend to persist and re-infect, and the temptation for profiteers to dig up the valuable skins or tiger bones and smuggle them abroad puts black-market customers at risk as a result. Steven Galster, the director of the conservation group, WildAid, called for a transparent investigation into the tiger mercy killings and wants carcass disposal to be supervised. "Whatever is really happening at Sri Racha, more tigers and people are potentially at threat," he said."(8)

Strikingly, there is no information on the disposition of the affected tiger carcasses in this study, nor in the follow-up reports issued to the World Organization for Animal Health Website-OIE (9). I contacted an ASEAN source to ask if he had any up-to-date information on where and how the affected animals were disposed of. According to the e-mail I received, He does have eye-witness testimony and there are photographs available (although not in his possession) of the tiger burial into a cement container and unknown chemicals were poured over the carcasses prior to being buried (10).

In absence of incineration and given the potential for the burial site to be a "stockpile" of sorts, we should factor in the possibility of "bird flu tigers" in the tiger bone medicine black market as an additional disease risk factor in Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM) or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

5. Is it too late?

Is there still time or is it too late for tigers?

CBP is actively enforcing US laws against trade in tiger parts and derivatives and by learning to identify these parts and derivatives in Traditional Asian Medications we will effectively limit much of the above ground trade that we encounter every day in ports in the US. By applying the USDA regulations on regulated animal products such as bone, blood, antler, chicken, cow etc, CBP Agriculture Specialists can shut off the flow valve of endangered and/or disease risk components that enter this country every day via the pathway of TAM.

Moreover, in learning to identify what we are dealing with, and in working with other agencies such as Fish and Wildlife, USDA SITC, we can help to lay the groundwork for effective legal action against the middle men and end-point distributors.

As for the tigers, all is not lost. Much is being done by World Wildlife Foundation , ASEAN-WEN, and various Non Governmental Organizations (NGO) and wildlife agencies to reeducate, reemploy and find other sources of income for those often found at the beginning of the tiger trade chain-those living at subsistence level. Much has been done through WWF Traffic to capture enforcement data and provides educational resources for law enforcement agencies on a global level.

Studies by Luo et al, measured the genetic variability of the worldwide captive tigers to assess whether they can be used to save the tiger species from extinction. (11). The results speak for themselves:

"Tigers (Panthera tigris) are disappearing rapidly from the wild, from over 100,000 in the 1900s to as few as 3000 [Javan (P.t. sondaica), Bali (P.t. balica), and Caspian (P.t. virgata) subspecies are extinct, whereas the South China tiger (P.t. amoyensis) persists only in zoos. By contrast, captive tigers are flourishing, with 15,000–20,000 individuals worldwide, outnumbering their wild relatives five to seven times. As of 2007, there are approximately 421 Amur (P.t. altaica), 295 Sumatran (P.t. sumatrae), 72 South China (P.t. amoyensis), 198 Bengal (P.t. tigris), 14 Indochinese (P.t. corbetti), and 113 Malayan (P.t. jacksoni) tigers in captivity as recorded in regional and international zoo studbooks . The tested captive tigers retain appreciable genomic diversity unobserved in their wild counterparts, perhaps a consequence of large population size, century long introduction of new founders, and managed-breeding strategies to retain genetic variability." (11)

Perhaps a quote by Dr. Ullas Karnath, a University of Florida alumni that has spent the past 20 years in India working for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

"A century from now there could be 30,000 to 40,000 tigers in India alone. The real question is whether we can muster up the political will and raise the level of protection to make sure that this happens". (12)

Animals are not brethren, they are not underlings; They are other nations, caught with ourselves in the net of life and time.
— Henry Beston, American Author, also known as "The Vagabond of the Dunes" (1888-1968)

References:

Paper Tigers? The role of the US Captive Tiger Population in the Trade in Tiger Parts.pdf

Ibid.

Black Market-Global Syndicates Profit From a New Contraband; Inside the Endangered Species Trade in Asia. Ben Davies and Jane Goodall. Publisher: Earth Aware Editions ISBN-13: 9781932771220 ISBN: 1932771220.

Personal email with Sarah Christie, Carnivore Programme Manager, Zoological Society of London/International Tiger Coalition.

Keawcharoen, Juthatip et al., 2004. Avian Influenza H5N1 in Tigers and Leopards. Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 10, No. 12, December 2004

Thanawongnuwech, Roongroje et al., 2005. Probable Tiger-to-Tiger Transmission of Avian Influenza H5N1. Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 11, No. 5, May 2005

Yee, Karen., Tim Carpenter and C. Cardona. 2008. Epidemiology of H5N1 avian influenza * Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 29 April 2008.

McGirk, Jan. The Temple of The Tigers. The Independent, Nov 4, 2004

World Organization for Animal Health Website. 2004 Thailand H5N1 year end report.

Personal email with ASEAN source who prefers to remain anonymous at this time.

Luo, Shu-Jin et al., 2008. Report-Subspecies Genetic Assignments of Worldwide Captive Tigers Increase Conservation Value of Captive Populations. Current Biology 18, 592–596, April 22, 2008.

Black Market-Global Syndicates Profit From a New Contraband; Inside the Endangered Species Trade in Asia. Ben Davies. Pg 126

Attachments

Wing Quan Canadian Sucessful Prosecution.pdf Pictures of seized products

Luo, Shu-Lin et al., 2008. Report-Subspecies Genetic Assignments of Worldwide Captive Tigers Increase Conservation Value of Captive Populations.

Keawcharoen, Juthatip et al., 2004. Avian Influenza H5N1 in Tigers and Leopards. Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 10, No. 12, December 2004

Thanawongnuwech, Roongroje et al., 2005. Probable Tiger-to-Tiger Transmission of Avian Influenza H5N1. Emerging Infectious Diseases • www.cdc.gov/eid • Vol. 11, No. 5, May 2005

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Feds seize lion, tiger, ivory from yacht

2009-05-14T05:06:00.001-07:00

Feds seize lion, tiger, ivory from yacht

Associated Press

13 May 2009

MIAMI (AP) - Federal authorities say they seized 29 illegal wildlife items from a yacht in Miami including tiger, lion, zebra skins and elephant ivory.

The items were taken from the yacht "Mystere" as part of a prosecution under the Endangered Species Act and other laws. The corporate yacht owner - Ruzial Limited - pled guilty earlier this month and paid 150 thousand dollars.

The seized items will be used in efforts to educate the public about illegal wildlife trafficking. US Attorney Alex Acosta says poachers continue to kill protected animals because there is a strong market demand. Officials put the value of the contraband at over 85 thousand dollars.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=10359342

Machester MI Bans Exotic Pets

2009-05-09T16:51:00.001-07:00

A recent case of an alligator being kept at a local residence prompted
safety concerns from many people in the Manchester community.
At its April 20 meeting, the Manchester Village Council took a step in
alleviating fears by adopting a new ordinance regarding exotic and wild pets.
Village Ordinance 272, which bans the owning or keeping of exotic animals
in the community, was passed unanimously.

The ordinance will go into effect in late May around the Memorial Day
weekend.

At the council's April 6 meeting, village residents expressed concern about
an alligator being kept at a residence on City Road.

"The main concern was the health and safety of the people in the
community," Village Manager Jeff Wallace said. "There was nothing in our
ordinances

regarding the issue, so when the police and Humane Society came there was
nothing they could do about it."

During that meeting, members of the council reviewed four exotic pet
ordinances from different communities and agreed that an ordinance against
exotic pets be implemented in Manchester.

The ordinance reads that no person, corporation or organization can house
or maintain any exotic or wild animal within the Village of Manchester. A
person who owns or keeps such an animal on the effective date of the
ordinance must remove it from the village within 30 days.

The ordinance defines "exotic or wild animals" as those not occurring
naturally in the state. Among the animals listed were alligators, antelope,
badgers, bats, beaver, bears, bisons, bobcats, camels, cheetahs, chipmunks,
constriction snakes, cougars, coyotes, crocodiles, crows, deer, ducks,
elephants, elk, fox, gamecocks (or other fighting birds), geese, goats, gophers,
groundhogs, hippopotami, hyenas, jaguars, lions, leopards, llamas, lynx,
mink, moles, moose, muskrats, opossums, otters, ostriches, owls, panthers,
peacocks, pheasants, piranha fish, porcupines, primates, apes, chimpanzees,
gibbons, gorillas, orangutans, siamangs, baboons, pigs, wild pigs, pumas,
mountain lions, quail, raccoons, reptiles, rhinoceroses, seals, sharks,
skunks, poisonous snakes, snow leopards, poisonous spiders, squirrels, tigers,
whales wild rabbits, wild turkeys, wolf-dog crosses, wolverines, wolves,
zebras and any other traditional farm animals.

"If you allow someone to keep an alligator in their homes and do nothing
about it, how far can people go?" Wallace said. "That's why we tried to make
it as specific as possible."

The general penalties for violation of the ordinance could include up to a
$1,000 fine and possible 90 days in jail. Each violation is considered a
separate offense.

For more information on the exotic pet ordinance, visit the Village of
Manchester's Web site at _www.vil-manchester.org_
(http://www.vil-manchester.org/) .

Staff Writer Ed Patino can be reached at 428-8173 or _epatino@..._
(mailto:epatino@...) .

Click here to return to story:

http://www.manchesterenterprise.com/stories/050709/loc_20090507009.shtml

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Forever Wild must pave road to open

2009-05-09T16:45:00.001-07:00

Forever Wild must pave road to open

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

By Bob Banfield

From tigers to reptiles, cougars and leopards, The Forever Wild Sanctuary
is the last stop for many exotic animals. But the facility in Phelan can't
open its doors. San Bernardino County officials say the sanctuary must pave
the dirt road leading to the sanctuary, at a cost of about $1 million.

Twenty-four big cats, tigers, lions, 60 reptiles and several birds are
housed in the Learning Center at the Forever Wild Sanctuary in Phelan.

The sanctuary was featured in a recent Extreme Makeover: Home Edition show
on ABC.

The sanctuary owners were given a new home and the Learning Center was
built from the ground up.

_Story continues below_
(http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/inland_empire&id=6800144&p\
t=print#bodyText)

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Deadly Cargo: Order Almost Any Exotic Online

2009-05-09T16:43:00.001-07:00

Posted: May 7, 2009 12:23 PM PDT
Updated: May 7, 2009 12:55 PM PDT
By Trey Paul

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) - There is no law in South Carolina that makes it
illegal for you to own any type of exotic animal, but how easy is it to get
a deadly snake shipped right to you?

WMBF News decided to find out. We had one of the world's deadliest snakes
shipped into the Myrtle Beach International Airport.

For about half a day, WMBF News Anchor Trey Paul actually owned one of the
world's most venomous snakes: a gaboon viper. They have the largest fangs
of any snake and some of the most venom.

All we had to do was go online. We found a website that gave us access to
dozens of venomous snakes that were for sale around the world.

We picked a snake, agreed on a price of $120, gave a credit card, and that
was it. No one asked an age or about experience.

We had our snake delivered to the Myrtle Beach International Airport and we
went inside with hidden cameras to pick it up.

We were told it would be shipped on a Delta Cargo plane, but after talking
with one of the clerks at the counter, we learned our snake, which was
packaged in a box, was actually shipped on a passenger plane inside of a cargo
area.

"He's all the way in the back, but if a bag were to come down and bust it
open or something like that, and it gets out, then what?" asked the Delta
clerk.

We didn't want to open our snake in a box on our own, so we met with a
local snake expert to help us out.

"A gaboon can kill a person and is potentially fatal," said Ken Alfieri.
"[It's] way more dangerous than our copperheads or cottonmouths. It's not an
animal you want to get bit by and end up in the hospital with."
Alfieri is a herpetologist and is trained to handle these types of snakes.
We asked him what he thought about how easy it was for us to get this
snake.

"I'm sad they didn't ask your age," he commented. "That should be a
requirement. Most people know what they're getting into and know what they're
dealing with. It's certainly not for the beginner or novice. You hope it
doesn't end up in the wrong hands."

According to a study done by researchers at the University of Florida,
there are 7,000 venomous snake bites per year in the United States, 15 of which
are fatal.

"If you look across the United States, nobody's ever been hurt by somebody
else's venomous snake," Alfieri noted. "It's never happened in the keeping
of the whole trade."

We found a 911 call from an Ohio man who was found dead after his "pet" boa
constrictor wrapped around his head, and another case in 2002 in South
Carolina when an 8-year old boy was bitten on the leg by his father's "pet"
tiger. In Myrtle Beach, a man was cited for keeping a hyena in his backyard
inside of a chain linked fence.

Dr. Jarratt Lark, an ER physician with the Grand Strand Regional Medical
Center, told us that the third ever reported case of a king cobra bite also
happened in Myrtle Beach.

Lark didn't treat that patient, but he did tell us that treating a venomous
snake bite is not easy, especially if it's from another country, like the
West African gaboon viper we purchased.

"It's kind of a chain of communication where I'd have to go down through
this chain of communication, identify the venom needed, find out where the
venom was, and then arrange to have the venom transferred here," Lark
explained.

The federal government leaves it up to individual states and cities to
decide if you can buy and keep an exotic animal. South Carolina law says you
can.
"Conceivably, you could probably get a lion shipped here," says State Rep.
Thad Viers (R-Horry County).

We showed Viers what we did and he called it "disturbing."

A Senate bill was introduced that would ban exotic animals, but we're told
since the committee chair wasn't briefed on it, it was killed.

"Without going into the merits of why, it just seemed like it was a
superficial reason why the bill did not move forward," Viers said.

South Carolina is one of nine states where you can do what we did, and our
investigation proves it can happen.

Since the issue doesn't seem to be getting anywhere inside the Statehouse,
Viers says he's taking a different approach. He says since the State of
South Carolina gives the Department of Natural Resources the authority to
regulate these types of animals, he's talking with officials about requiring
training or age certification.

He says this way is a lot quicker.

http://www.live5news.com/Global/story.asp?S=10322811

Reminds me of the 9 year old boy who used his mother's credit card and had a tiger shipped to his door. That was in the late 1990's, I think.

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

You Can't Even Talk About It 20/20 of Farming Tigers to Eat Them

2009-05-09T16:39:00.001-07:00

Please see below, regarding the tiger-farming promotion on ABC's 20/20. Please post comments at:
http://abcnews.go.com/2020/AmazingAnimals/comments?type=story&id=7529068

Ban on Wild Tiger Sales 'a Complete Failure'?
John Stossel Says Killing Endangered Species Would Protect Them

By JOHN STOSSEL and JEFF DIAMOND
May 8, 2009

Tigers may be going extinct. There were once 100,000 of the grand animals, but today just a few thousand survive.

How do we save them and other endangered species? Well, here's an idea: Let's eat them!

Wild tigers are disappearing because poachers kill them for their skins and to get crushed tiger bone, which is made into paste that some people use as a painkiller.

Actor Harrison Ford does public service announcements supporting the international ban on the sale of exotic animal products.

"When the buying stops, the killing can too," he says in the PSA. "Case closed!"

But the case isn't closed, because outlawing buying and selling hasn't worked. The international ban has been in effect for 33 years, but the population of wild tigers has continued to shrink.

Watch John Stossel's special "You Can't Even Talk About It" tonight on "20/20" at 10 p.m. ET

Grace Gabriel, Asia regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, says what's needed to save the tigers is better law enforcement.

"There needs to be judicial systems in place so that there will be punishments for wildlife crimes [that are] strong enough to have a deterrence power." But Terry Anderson from PERC, the Property and Environment Resource Center, disagrees.

"If we continue the current approach of no killing, no trading, I think the tiger is doomed," he said.

He believes governments have repeatedly failed when they tried to save animals by banning their sale.

PERC suggests the opposite: let people own wild animals, farm them and sell them.

That's what saved another species. High in the mountains of Montana, Pam and Craig Knowles raise bison.

Millions of these animals once roamed America, but 100 years ago they were almost extinct. Why? Because no one owned them. No ranchers like the Knowles had the incentive to protect them, and people killed them and sold their hides.

"There were a few trappers who saw what was going on and said, this is wrong," said Pam Knowles. "Here's an animal that could provide the whole country with meat."

So people began to fence bison in and eat them. Now America has half a million bison -- that's a way to save animals.

Does America have a shortage of chickens? No. Because we eat them. Do we have a shortage of minks? No. Because people have a reason to protect them.

The Debate Over Farming Endangered Animals

In Africa, rhinos were disappearing because poachers killed them for their horns. African governments banned poaching, but this did little good.

"We're talking about countries, governments and police forces that are often involved in the poaching," said Anderson.

Some government game wardens took bribes, or slept on the job.

"It was a complete failure," said Dr. Brian Child, associate professor of African studies at the University of Florida, who spent years in Africa trying to save rhinos. "Wildlife was disappearing everywhere."

What finally worked, he said, was letting landowners own them and make money off tourism. Suddenly each tribe had skin in the game, and an incentive to protect its own rhinos. Those indifferent security guards became fierce protectors of their tribal rhinos. Anderson asked one what happened if he caught a poacher.

"He said, 'We don't kill them, we just beat them up badly enough, they go back to their village, and don't ever come back,'" Anderson said. "These people don't tolerate poaching because they want to keep the animals alive. They allow hunting. They allow photography. That is the way to save wildlife."

And it's worked.

But Judy Mills, Conservation International's wildlife trade advisor says that farming tigers won't necessarily stop poaching.

"Bears are farmed in China. There is more than enough bear bile to go around to the whole of China. [But] wild bears are still being poached for their gall bladders."

And this is true. It's impossible to stop all poaching. Rhinos too are still being poached. But their numbers have steadily grown since farming began in Africa.

"There are a lot more rhinos alive on private land where there were no rhinos 50 years ago, 40 years ago," said Child.

Right now in China, thousands of tigers survive only because some tiger farms protect them. About a dozen farms are currently breeding tigers, and their owners hope that next year the Chinese government will lift its ban on tiger sales.

Gabriel believes that would be a disaster for wild tigers. She says it's expensive to raise farmed tigers, and legalizing the sale of tiger parts would just increase poaching.

"If you allow farmed tigers to be traded on the market, you're going to restimulate demand," she said. "You're going to undermine over a decade of conservation work to reduce demand."

But Anderson says "that's a silly idea."

"It ignores what supply and demand is all about," he said. "Legalizing trade is not going to increase the demand. Farming is a way to take the pressure off of those wild tigers."

Farming Animals to Save Them: 'Magical Thinking'

So who's right?

"Let me tell you about a survey that we did recently in China, which showed that 90 percent of Chinese people actually support the ban," said Mills. "They support the ban, and they see the greater good in keeping the ban in place."

But many of the same people who supported the ban also admitted to having products made from tiger bone.

Gabriel says we need more time to educate the Chinese consumer, that "we haven't had a lot of time to work at all the steps" to reduce the demand in China for tiger products.

But how long can we wait? Mills claims the ban has worked in America, where it's illegal now even to sell medicines that pretend to contain tiger parts. But even in relatively law-abiding America, we easily found these products in New York City's Chinatown neighborhood that used images of tigers to promote sales.

Nonetheless, Mills says, "The bans have worked tremendously. By my calculations, more than 2,000 tigers are still alive in the wild today because of the ban."

But thousands more have vanished because people aren't allowed to own and sell tigers. It's quite the conceit that a few conservation groups think a government decree can get a billion-plus people to just change their culture.

"The demand is there by people for thousands of years who have felt that this is a useful medicinal product for them," said Anderson. "That isn't going away."

So it makes sense that farming tigers will meet that demand. But Judy Mills disagrees.

"Believing that farming tigers and reopening trade in their products will somehow save wild tigers is magical thinking," she said.

Magical thinking? No. Anderson says farming has already worked with elephants in Botswana, rhinos in southern Africa, and the bison in America. He believes it will work again with tigers in China.

"If we make animals a marketable product," said Anderson, "they will be saved. "

Copyright © 2009 ABC News Internet Ventures

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

The Facts of Tiger Farming from ITC

2009-05-09T16:28:00.001-07:00

The Facts of Tiger Farming

Tiger farming is a threat to safety of wild tigers. Otherwise, tiger farming will make the king of the jungle − and the jungle − disappear forever.

Bans on tiger trade have nearly stopped the killing of wild tigers for their skins and bones. Improving enforcement and public awareness of these bans can end tiger trade once and for all, allowing tigers to thrive in the wild.

When we save wild tigers, we save the rich forests in which they live, with all of their climate-cooling trees, fresh water, herbal medicines and all the other irreplaceable resources needed for a healthy human society and a healthy planet.

We will save wild tigers, if we stop trade in tiger parts and products from all sources, including tiger farms.

FACT: Tiger trade bans work.
•    China’s 16-year tiger trade ban has been an overwhelming success in reducing trade and demand.
•    Bans on tiger trade have helped Russia’s tiger population recover and other wild tiger populations to persist.
•    Trade bans will only work if they are enforced and backed up with demand reduction campaigns.

FACT: Tiger conservation works.
•    Traditional tiger conservation methods work when they have adequate political and financial support.
•    Protection of tigers and their habitat and prey do stabilize wild tiger populations.
•    Protecting wild tigers protects large tracts of the world’s most valuable natural resources.

FACT: Legalizing tiger farming will increase killing of wild tigers.
•    Legalizing trade in farmed tiger products will expand opportunities to sell parts and products from wild tigers.
•    Illegal tiger trade is run by organized criminal networks, which will exploit loopholes opened by legalizing trade.
•    Organized criminal networks will not give up illegal tiger trade just because farmed tiger products are available. Poaching tiger brings big gains to criminals with little risk.

FACT: Tiger products are not needed for human health.
•    Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) gave up the use to tiger products 16 years ago.
•    Leaders of the TCM community say they no longer need or want tiger bone, and China’s TCM agency has changed the official TCM pharmacopeia to remove tiger bone as a legitimate treatment.
•    Alternatives to tiger bone are effective, plentiful, sustainable and embraced by TCM practitioners.

FACT: Legalizing tiger farming will stimulate demand for wild tiger parts & products.
•    Tiger farming will reignite demand for tiger products among China’s 1.3 billion consumers.
•    Since wild tiger bone is believed to be more effective, demand for the bones of wild tigers will go up, too.
•    Rekindling China’s appetite for tiger products could quickly wipe out wild tiger populations.

FACT: Wild tigers can come back in the wild.
•    Wild tigers breed like cats.
•    Wild tigers can come back quickly when they have enough habitat, prey and protection from poachers.
•    Wild tigers do not need outside help when they have plenty of food and shelter.

FACT: People benefit when tigers come back in the wild.
•    Local people benefit economically when tiger are present and tourists can see wild tigers
•    Protecting tigers and their habitats protect air, water and other forest resources that sustain the lives and livelihoods of millions of people.

FACT: Stopping tiger trade is a global issue.
•    An international treaty signed by 174 countries prohibits international trade in tiger parts and products and discourages tiger farming.
•    Countries with the largest wild tiger populations stand to lose the most if tiger farming is legalized.
•    Any country that allows tiger farming and trade will bear responsibility for the loss of wild tigers.

END TIGER TRADE

Facts by International Tiger Coalition

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Tiger Farms: A TICKET TO EXTINCTION

2009-05-09T16:12:00.001-07:00

International Tiger Coalition: Statement

Tiger Farms: A TICKET TO EXTINCTION

ABC's 20/20 promotes flawed economics and false conservation value, says International Tiger Coalition

Washington DC – The International Tiger Coalition (ITC), an international group of organizations committed to ending tiger trade, rejects the false and deeply flawed argument that tigers bred on industrialized farms can save wild tigers as presented on ABC's 20/20 tonight.

Tiger farms were established and are managed primarily for commercial trade, not conservation, driven by profit from the sales of tiger-bone wine and skins. At present, all commercial trade in tigers and their products is illegal. But as long as there are tiger farms that promise a future reopening of tiger trade, the ban cannot be effective.

Since initiating a domestic ban on tiger trade in 1993, the Chinese government has removed tiger bone as an ingredient in the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) pharmacopeia and invested in the development of effective alternative medicines and public awareness campaigns. It has been very effective in protecting wild tigers by stopping the previously legal market, reducing demand and allowing some fragile tiger populations to stabilize, such as the Siberian tiger in the Russian Far East.

A contingent of business owners with financial interest in large-scale tiger farms and their supporters are now pushing China to rescind the ban. Permitting even a limited trade in farmed tigers within China will undermine decades of conservation efforts across the range of the tiger by reigniting a market demand that has nearly been extinguished and increase poaching of wild tigers.

Poaching will always be too cost-competitive an option to ignore: consider the price of a bullet, trap or poison to kill a wild tiger against an estimated US$4,000 to US$10,000 to raise a farmed tiger to maturity. Wild-sourced products are also consistently perceived to be superior by consumers, a situation that has resulted in wild Asiatic black bears being poached despite the saturation of the Chinese market with bear bile from farmed bears.

Finally, the notion that tigers bred on a farm can be reintroduced to the wild, thus contributing to the survival of wild populations, has no factual basis. Farmed tigers are likely to be too genetically and behaviorally compromised to be released into the wild.

Farming tigers for trade will only hasten the irreplaceable loss of a species on the brink. With improved enforcement, existing bans can wipe out tiger trade before tiger trade wipes out wild tigers.

###

QUOTES:

"It is inconceivable that profit and the bottom line was the only lens through which 20/20 approached the issue of tiger farming," said Grace Gabriel, Asia Regional Director of IFAW and ITC member, who was interviewed by the show. "Every player in that trade chain is criminally responsible for the depletion of tigers in the wild, from poachers to smugglers to traders and to those who promote tiger trade: investors and owners of tiger farms."

"Unfortunately, 20/20 focused on sensational and unproven free-market theories applied to tiger farming instead of presenting a balanced report on the inherent risks to the tiger's very survival in the wild," said Judy Mills of Conservation International and Moderator of the ITC, who was interviewed on the show. "All our science and studies indicate that opening tiger trade and encouraging tiger farms is bad news for wild tigers and by extension, for people and the planet."

Note to editors:

B-roll (TRT: 2.06, NATSOT): http://www.divshare.com/download/7307598-cf7

High-resolution images: http://www.savethetigerfund.org/Content/NavigationMenu2/News/MediaKits/TigerFarmMediaKit/default.htm

The population of wild tigers has plummeted from 100,000 a century ago to around 4,000 today. China, the country where the tiger species is believed to have originated, has fewer than 25 tigers left in the wild along its borders with Russia and Laos. China's population of tigers on its border with Russia could recover—as long as trade remains closed within China.
Tigers are vital to the health of ecosystems. The loss of these flagship species impacts biodiversity, deprives nations of rightful revenue from tourism and agriculture, and puts food security and the health of people at risk.
Tigers are listed on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which bans the international trade of tigers, their parts and derivatives, for commercial purposes. In 2007, the 171 CITES member governments decided by consensus that tigers should not be bred in farms for their parts and products—because they agreed tiger farming threatens the survival of wild tigers.
A 2007 poll in China by Save the Tiger Fund found that 90 percent of Chinese people favor keeping the tiger trade ban in place for the sake of wild tigers and China's international image. Legitimate Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners have also moved away from using tiger bone in medicine.
A 2007 survey by TRAFFIC (the wildlife trade programme of WWF and IUCN) of over 500 retail TCM shops in China showed that hardly any shops stock tiger bone as medicine. Of 518 shops, only 2.5 percent claim availability of tiger bone and 64 percent are aware of the trade ban. Today, TCM colleges no longer teach the use of tiger bone as medicine, and legitimate, law-abiding practitioners around the world no longer use tiger bone.

For more information:

International Tiger Coalition: Trishna GURUNG, WWF E: trishna.gurung@wwfus.org T: 202-203-8863

Conservation International: Judy Mills E: j.mills@conservation.org T: 202-674-4588

International Fund for Animal Welfare: Grace Gabriel E: ggabriel@ifaw.org T: 508-496-4471

Tell 20/20 That You Oppose the Farming of Tigers

2009-05-07T19:39:00.001-07:00

Tell 20/20 That You Oppose the Farming of Tigers

Their contact form is here: http://abcnews.go.com/Site/page?id=3271346&cat=20/20

Activists Fight Over How to Save Tigers
http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=7531536

[Elizabeth Vargas] Hello, I'm Elizabeth Vargas and welcome to 20/20 In Touch.
We breed cows and pigs and chickens to satisfy our appetite for food so why not breed endangered species to satisfy poachers' needs? It's a radical proposal and as John Stossel reports Friday, you can't even talk about it.

[John STOSSEL] Wild tigers are disappearing. There were once a hundred thousand of these grand animals. Today, just a few thousand survive. They are disappearing because poachers kill them for their skins and mostly they get crushed tiger bone, which is made is made into a paste, which is supposed to kill pain.

[Harrison Ford] We have a situation here...

[John STOSSEL] Harrison Ford's public service announcement that support the ban of exotic animal product.

[Harrison Ford]…when the buying stops, the killing can too. Case closed.

[John STOSSEL] But the case isn't closed but the ban hasn't worked. It's been in effect 33 years but the population of wild tigers has continued to shrink. This tiger is in New York's Bronx Zoo.

[Grace Gabriel] There needs to be judicial systems in place so there will be punishment for wildlife crimes that is strong enough to have deterrence power.

[Terry Andersen] If continue the current approach of no killing, no trading, I think the tiger is doomed.

[John STOSSEL] Terry Andersen of PERC, the Property and Environmental Resource Centre points out that governments have repeatedly failed when they try to save animals by banning their sale. PERC says the opposite. Let people own wild animals, farm them, and sell them.

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Big Cat Summer Camp in Tribune

2009-05-07T07:13:00.001-07:00

Tampa summer camp registration

By Jared Leone, Times Staff Writer
In Print: Friday, May 8, 2009

School's out for summer. Well almost. And you still haven't decided what to do with the kids while you're at work? From athletic to academic, from cooking to swimming, somewhere around town a camp is waiting for your child. Here are just a few:

Terrace Community Middle School: Summer SLAM (Summer Learning and More) features 17 different programs including Lego Mania, digital photography, volleyball, basketball, archaeological digging, vegetarian cooking and more.

When: Half-day camps from 8 a.m. to noon or from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.; full-day from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Cost: $15 one-time registration fee, and programs are $65 each week.

Contact: (813) 987-6555; 11734 Jefferson Road; tcmstornadoes.com.

Tampa Chess Club: Learn chess tips and tricks. A camp for all levels from beginners to tournament skill.

When: 9 a.m. to noon or 1 to 4 p.m. or all day June 15 to 17, June 29 to July 1 and July 13 to 15.

Cost: Half-day camp is $30 for chess club members and $40 for nonmembers; all-day is $50 for members, $70 for nonmembers.

Contact: (813) 727-8852; 10936 N 56th St., Temple Terrace.

Hillsborough County Summer Fun Camp: The Summer Fun Camp is for ages 6 and older and takes place at 43 playground and recreation centers locations throughout the county.

When: 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 8 through Aug. 14.

Cost: $300, discounts are available based on income.

Contact: (813) 635-3500; visit hillsboroughcounty.org/parks.

Hillsborough County Traveling Teen Camp: Six one-week camps take kids ages 12 to 17 to area attractions like Wet-n-Wild, Universal Studios, and the Museum of Science and Industry.

When: Camps start June 8.

Cost: $90 to $123, depending on field trips.

Contact: (813) 635-3500; visit hillsboroughcounty.org/parks.

Carrollwood Cultural Center: Children ages 2 to 14 can check out the 22 half-day camps in four focus areas, including movement and performance, music, art, and construction and engineering.

When: June 8 to July 17.

Cost: $90 for members and $100 for nonmembers each week; $180 for full-day camp for members and $200 for nonmembers each week.

Contact: (813) 269-1310; 4537 Lowell Road; carrollwoodcenter.org.

Big Cat Rescue: Children ages 8 to 15 can discover the outdoors with more than 100 big cats at the 45-acre Citrus Park facility.

When: 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting June 15.

Cost: Early bird registration through May 29 is $175. The cost is $190 for each four-day session.

Contact: (813) 920-4130; 12802 Easy St.; bigcatrescue.org.

Independent Day School: Children from grades pre-K3 to 8 can participate in more than 60 full- and half-day camps including sports, academics, recreation and field trips.

When: 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; extended care is available starting at 7:15 a.m. and from 3 to 6 p.m. starting June 15.

Cost: From $90 depending on the camp.

Contact: (813) 961-3087; 12015 Orange Grove Drive; idsyes.com/summer-camps.htm.

Wharton Wildcats soccer camp: Learn technical and tactical tips to step up your soccer game. Camp is for students entering grades 3 to 12.

When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. starting June 8.

Cost: $100 each session.

Contact: (813) 340-5285; whartonsoccer@verizon.net.

Rocket Science Summer Camp: Students in grades 5 to 8 can learn all aspects of model rocketry including design, building and safe launch. Completion of this camp qualifies scouts for the Space Exploration Badge.

When: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 8 to 25 at Gaither High School, 16200 N Dale Mabry Highway.

Cost: $237 for 12-day session. Register by May 29.

Contact: (813) 975-4818, ext. 449; or e-mail david.maag@sdhc.k12.fl.us.

YMCA Summer Day Camps: This program is for kids age 6 and up. Speciality camps are available for preschool ages 3 to 5 and teens 13 to 17.

When: Full day from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 8 to Aug. 21.

Cost: $120 to $200 each week; there is a 10 percent off second child discount.

Contact: Check your neighborhood YMCA for more information or go to tampaymca.org.

Compiled by Jared Leone, Times Staff Writer

http://www.tampabay.com/news/briefs/article998500.ece

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Congress may set limits on sale of exotic pets

2009-05-05T12:35:00.001-07:00

By LINDSAY PETERSON
Media General News Service
Published: May 4, 2009

The boa constrictors, iguanas and hedgehogs in Bobby Rex's store are his
babies. But the federal government could turn them into outlaws.

A congressional subcommittee heard testimony last week on a bill to place
new controls on animals that aren't native to the United States.
"It's insane," Rex said. "It could put me out of business."

He has dozens of snakes, lizards and small mammals in his Brandon pet
store, nearly all of them bred from nonnative animals.

They're harmless, he said. But he couldn't sell or breed them under the
proposed law until they were assessed by federal officials and placed on a
list of approved animals, and that could take years.

"We need controls, but this isn't the answer," Rex said.

Humane society officials disagree. "We need this kind of action. We've
gotten too loose with certain animals," said Sherry Silk, executive director
of the Humane Society of Tampa Bay.

"We know that people get these unusual pets and they get too big or too
expensive to take care of so they turn them loose. From a humane perspective,
we don't want this."

The problem is not that the animals die in the wild, federal officials say.
It's that they survive and breed.

Burmese pythons now cruise the Everglades. One of them attracted national
news in 2005 when it tried to eat an alligator. The Gambian pouched rat
brought monkey pox to the Midwest. The snakehead fish, native to China, has
devoured native fish in the Potomac River.

Alien plant and animal species cause about $120 billion a year in damage
across the country, said David M. Lodge, a Notre Dame biology professor who
testified on April 23 before the House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs,
Oceans and Wildlife.

The committee chairwoman, Rep. Madeleine Bordallo, D-Guam, sponsored the
bill. Three South Florida representatives are co-sponsors, Rep. Ron Klein and
Rep. Alcee Hastings, both Democrats, and Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, a
Republican.

Multiple agencies inspect pet stores and breeders, including the U.S.
Department of Agriculture and the state Fish and Wildlife Conservation
Commission.

Last year the state labeled several types of pythons and the Nile monitor
lizard as "reptiles of concern," requiring buyers to pay a $100 licensing
fee and have the animals implanted with micro-chips.

But there's no scrutiny of many animals being carried across the border
into the United States, Lodge said. Generally, animals are classified as
injurious only after they've arrived and started to do damage.

He listed several species that could be brought into the country legally,
including the Gaboon viper, the African puff adder, another type of snake,
and the Australian saltwater crocodile.

"Every conceivable sort of creepy-crawly, together with their diseases, are
flooding into the U.S. from every part of the globe," he said in his
subcommittee testimony on April 23.

With careful screening, the most dangerous animals could be kept out and
the others could be sold and bred without problems, he said.

But that screening process is complicated. Bordallo's bill would establish
a method to assess all nonnative animals in the United States, excluding
the common ones like dogs, cats, goats and horses.

Each would be approved or blacklisted, based on the danger it poses the
economy, environment or other animals. And the animals on the blacklist would
be barred from the country. If they were already here, they couldn't be
sold, bred or taken across state lines.

"This is too open ended for me," said Jim Carper, owner of Animal House
pet store in Tampa."I like it that somebody is taking the initiative, because
there are some bad animals out there, but Florida Fish and Game already
has the power to say we don't want certain things going on. So why do we need
this?"

Pet industry lobbyist, Marshall Meyers, wondered if Bordallo realized how
many people could be affected by her bill, pointing out that 16 million
people across the country kept reptiles as pets and 42 million had fish.
And how would the government determine that an animal was safe? "Absent a
crystal ball, it is impossible to demonstrate that no harm has ever nor will
ever occur at anytime, anywhere in the United States," he said in his
testimony before Bordallo's committee on April 23.

The way it seems to Rex, of Scales pet store, the people who wrote this
bill don't understand non-traditional pets.

"People think snakes are creepy and they don't like snakes so they don't
want other people to have them," he said. "But you start taking away
people's rights like that and somewhere along the way, they're going to take your
chihuahua."

And who says animals like that are not a threat? he asked. One of the most
dangerous creatures in most cities is the feral cat, which feeds on birds
and other small animals and has liter after liter of other wild cats.
Does that mean we ban cats? he asked.

http://www.wsls.com/sls/news/politics/article/congress_may_set_limits_on_sale_o\
f_exotic_pets/34520/

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

The story behind the cat killer story.

2009-05-04T10:17:00.001-07:00

Dear Chris,

The story behind the cat killer story.

I hate to hear that any creature has been killed just for being who they are, but the real story here is that anyone who buys an exotic cat or an exotic cat hybrid is contributing to horrific abuse, neglect, abandonment and the death of thousands of cats. If people knew the truth, there wouldn't be such a lucrative market for these designer pets. You can get the whole story here: http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/hybrids.htm

I hope you will check it out and let your readers know that the worst villains here are those who support the trade in exotic cats in the first place.

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Cat killer suspect arrested in Violet as owner mourns $3,500 feline

by Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 01, 2009, 9:30 PM

The $3,500 cat

Ever since Raja arrived by airplane from California in late 2007, Linda Authement and her daughter, Jaylin, had marveled at the intelligence of the rare $3,500 Savannah cat they had saved for years to buy. It could fetch, retrieve and even open the door to their Violet home with its paws.

Two weeks ago, the clever feline escaped. And soon after, Linda Authement received a telephone call that sent chills racing down her spine.

It was a neighbor who had seen a reward sign for her missing spotted cat, she said, and he let on that he shot at it while grilling outside the night of April 18.

"He didn't tell me he shot the cat, he said he shot at the cat," Authement recalled. "That's when I frantically told him, 'You didn't shoot the cat? Please tell me you didn't shoot the cat.' And he said, 'I missed.'"

She raced to the home of the caller, Rene Paul Desselle, who lived two doors down from her. He told her he had seen the skinny, leopard-like cat come near him and was worried it was a wild animal that might harm his dog.

So he shot at it, Authement was told.

The accused cat killer

Authement and her husband searched around Desselle's house for several minutes, after being told the cat might have hidden beneath it. Then Desselle pointed out the cat, dead, in the vacant lot next door. It clearly had a hole in its head.

Fuming and heartbroken, Authement called the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff's Office.

"I could have accepted it if the cat got hit, if something would have happened accidentally to it," Authement said. "But a cat getting shot in the head point blank like that, I can't accept it."

Desselle's wife, Cora Desselle, said Friday he didn't kill the cat. She said their gun was never taken out of its cabinet.

She said he told the Authements that he "shooed" the cat when it came near, which might have sounded like "shoot."

"We didn't shoot the cat. We don't hurt animals," she said.

Nonetheless, Rene Desselle, 50, was booked Monday with a felony, aggravated cruelty to an animal, and illegal discharge of a weapon. He has since been released on a $6,000 bond.

Linda and Jaylin Authement said they had been saving up for years to buy Raja from breeders in California after spotting a Savannah in Cat Fancy magazine. Linda Authement said they paid $3,500 for the cat, plus airfare for it to be shipped to Louis Armstrong International Airport.

"That cat didn't have a claw or a mean bone in his body," said Linda Authement, whose animal-loving household also includes three other cats, three golden retrievers, two tortoises and a cockatiel. "The cat slept with us in the bed. The cat was part of the family.

"We can get another, but it'll never be the same. Nor will we be able to afford a cat that cost that much ever again."
. . . . . . .

Chris Kirkham can be reached at ckirkham@timespicayune.com or 504.826.3321.

Vernon Yates Producing More Inbred Cubs

2009-05-03T13:06:00.001-07:00

Vernon Yates Producing More Inbred Cubs

Vet, hospital team up to
save cub

Updated: Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 9:40 PM EDT
Published : Thursday, 30 Apr 2009, 4:54 PM EDT

Frank Robertson

ST. PETERSBURG - A tiger cub may find a new lease on life at All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg.

"Fabian" is one of two cubs born on Easter Sunday at a wildlife sanctuary in Seminole. He's now been taken by Safety Harbor veterinarian Dr. Don Woodman.

The cub's parents never appeared to be more than just friends.

"They are roughly 19 years of age and they've been housed together for 14 years, is my understanding, and never shown any real inclination to breed. Easter Sunday, I got a phone call -- there was a surprise," Dr. Woodman told FOX 13.

Both of the baby tigers were born with a cleft palate. Essentially, there's no roof to their mouths.

Several veterinary specialists recommended euthanizing the cubs -- a step Dr. Woodman wasn't willing to take.

"I was born with a cleft palate and I just didn't have it in me to euthanize an animal simply because they were born with a severe cleft palate," he explained.

So Dr. Woodman turned to All Children's Hospital and pediatric plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Gallant, who was willing to perform corrective surgery. Unfortunately, the second cub did not survive, but Fabian will undergo surgery in about two months.

Dr. Woodman and his wife are caring for the cub both at his animal hospital and at home. Fabian has to be fed with a squeeze bottle and a feeding tube because he's unable to nurse as he would in the wild.

The Woodmans are optimistic, saying Fabian is a fighter.

Baby Tigers Treated at All Children's Hospital

When it comes to some unique patients at All Children's Hospital, the cat's out of the bag.

Make that cats - Chester and Fabian. They're tiger cubs, born Easter Sunday at Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation in Seminole, FL. A local veterinarian contacted to check out the newborns quickly discovered they both had a problem - cleft palate, a hole in the roof of the mouth that makes it difficult for babies of any kind to suck, swallow and grow. Tiger cubs born with this defect usually don't survive, and might ordinarily have been euthanized on the spot.

But this vet just couldn't do that.

Dr. Don Woodman, from the Animal Hospital of Northwood in Safety Harbor, was born with a cleft lip and palate that was repaired by Virginia surgeons forty years ago. He knew - in theory - the cubs' cleft palates could be fixed.

But as Woodman began checking with veterinarians across the nation, he could find no one who had attempted a cleft repair in a big cat. Undeterred, Woodman turned to an expert in human cleft repair - Dr. Michael Gallant, a pediatric reconstructive surgeon at All Children's Hospital. For more than thirty years, Gallant has been changing the faces of newborns at All Children's with miraculous results.

Could he help a pair of tiger cubs?

Maybe - but first, he'd need more information. And the best way to get it would be through an MRI study. Gallant approached administrators at All Children's Hospital, which agreed to scan one of the cubs, so long as it could be done without additional costs or impact to patient care.

On Wednesday night April 22, the Woodmans brought the cubs through a rear hospital entrance close to the MRI unit. A group of doctors and hospital staff volunteered their time to help out, including pediatric anesthesiologists Linda Jo Rice, MD and Michael Garcia, MD; pediatric radiologists Kevin Potthast, MD and James Anderson, MD; MRI Radiology Technologist Deb Brannon; Speech-Language Pathologist Margie Wells-Friedman and orthodontist Amy Anderson, MD, members of the All Children's Cleft Palate Team.

It's hard to ask a baby - or a ten-day old tiger - to hold still for an hour-long MRI scan. So Fabian had help sleeping through the study, thanks to Drs. Rice and Garcia.
Dr. Potthast and MRI Technologist Brannon collaborated to customize the scans to a tiny tiger's anatomy. And, all the while, Dr. Woodman stood at his furry little patient's side in the MRI Unit.

Meanwhile, Chester was surrounded by his own group of specialists. As he nestled in the lap of Susan Woodman, vet tech and wife of Dr. Woodman, Dr. Anderson used a special material to cast a mold of Chester's upper jaw and cleft. It allows Anderson to fashion a cleft feeding appliance like ones occasionally used for babies. Much like a retainer, it snaps into place, covering the cleft with a hard surface that will make it easier to suckle.

Then, it was time for Chester's dinner. Until this point, the Woodmans and their staff had been feeding the cubs their formula through a tube into their mouths. Speech Pathologist Wells-Friedman showed Susan how to use a baby bottle with a special nipple designed for human infants with cleft palate. Bottle-feeding will be much easier than the tube approach once the tiger's teeth begin to come in.

Sadly, five days after their visit to All Children's, one of the tigers - Chester - passed away due to respiratory arrest. Despite the best efforts of Animal Hospital staff, he could not be revived.

It will take some time for Drs. Woodman and Gallant to evaluate the cleft repair possibilities for Fabian, but they are hopeful the surgery can be done. Fabian will need to grow before surgery - at least two months from now. In the meantime, he's getting the best of care at Animal Hospital of Northwood - with All Children's ready to help if needed.

http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/dpp/news/local/pinellas/tiger_cub_cleft_palate_043009

While the doctors and hospital are to be commended for their compassion, Vernon Yates of Wildlife Rescue should be ashamed for allowing yet another "accidental" mating that has resulted in more tigers being bred for life in a tiny, concrete jail cell in his back yard in Seminole, FL. Given the fact that tigers can breed several times a year, the far more likely scenario is that this poor captive tigress has been getting pregnant and then killing and eating her own cubs all these years, which is what captive cats often do. Real sanctuaries do not breed, buy, sell, trade nor enable those who do. Find out what a real sanctuary looks like at SanctuaryStandards.com

Cass Sunstein for Souter slot?

2009-05-01T18:32:00.001-07:00

Cass Sunstein for Souter slot?

Regulatory czar nominee favors gun grab, animal rights, 'Fairness Doctrine' for
Net

WASHINGTON - The announced retirement of Supreme Court Justice David Souter
could result in Barack Obama's nomination of a man who has been an outspoken
proponent of tough restriction on gun sales and ownership, a ban on hunting,
animal rights and what has been characterized as a "Fairness Doctrine" for the
Internet.

Cass Sunstein, a law professor friend of the president and his current nominee
to be regulatory czar, is on a list of eight possible names, including Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton, to replace Souter in an article in Atlantic Monthly.

"Among those who might make the list of replacements: incoming solicitor general
Elena Kagan, formerly the dean of the Harvard Law School, Cass Sunstein, a
brilliant constitutional law prof who now works at Obama's Office of Management
and Budget, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, appellate judge Diane Wood, and
Leah Ward Sears, the chief justice of Georgia's Supreme Court," reports Marc
Ambinder. "A dark horse might be Judge Nicholas Garaufis of the Eastern District
of New York. Less known but equally potent candidates would be Stanford's Pam
Karlan, an intellectually brilliant liberal, and Johnnie Rawlinson, an appeals
court judge and the first African American woman appointed to that circuit. Of
all these candidates, Wood and Karlan are probably the brightest lights, and
Wood would be most palatable to conservatives. Cato's Ilya Shapiro, a former
Wood student, said that she'd offer a "seriousness of purpose and no ideological
ax to grind, this making her the best nominee for supporters of
constitutionalism."

WND reported earlier this week on Sunstein's advocacy for a "Fairness Doctrine"
for the Internet that would require opposing opinions be linked and his
suggestion that angry e-mails should be prevented from being sent by technology
that would require a 24-hour cooling off period.

The revelations about Cass Sunstein, Obama's friend from the University of
Chicago Law School and nominee to head the White House Office of Information and
Regulatory Affairs, come in a new book by Brad O'Leary, "Shut Up, America! The
End of Free Speech." OIRA will oversee regulation throughout the U.S.
government.

Sunstein also has argued in his prolific literary works that the Internet is
anti-democratic because of the way users can filter out information of their own
choosing.

"A system of limitless individual choices, with respect to communications, is
not necessarily in the interest of citizenship and self-government," he wrote.
"Democratic efforts to reduce the resulting problems ought not be rejected in
freedom's name."

Sunstein first proposed the notion of imposing mandatory "electronic sidewalks"
for the Net. These "sidewalks" would display links to opposing viewpoints. Adam
Thierer, senior fellow and director of the Center for Digital Media Freedom at
the Progress and Freedom Center, has characterized the proposal as "The Fairness
Doctrine for the Internet."

"Apparently in Sunstein's world, people have many rights, but one of them, it
seems, is not the right to be left alone or seek out the opinions one desires,"
Thierer wrote.

Later, Sunstein rethought his proposal, explaining that it would be "too
difficult to regulate [the Internet] in a way that would respond to those
concerns." He also acknowledged that it was "almost certainly unconstitutional."

Perhaps Sunstein's most novel idea regarding the Internet was his proposal, in
his book "Nudge," written with Richard Thaler, for a "Civility Check" for
e-mails and other online communications.

"The modern world suffers from insufficient civility," they wrote. "Every hour
of every day, people send angry e-mails they soon regret, cursing people they
barely know (or even worse, their friends and loved ones). A few of us have
learned a simple rule: don't send an angry e-mail in the heat of the moment.
File it, and wait a day before you send it. (In fact, the next day you may have
calmed down so much that you forget even to look at it. So much the better.) But
many people either haven't learned the rule or don't always follow it.
Technology could easily help. In fact, we have no doubt that technologically
savvy types could design a helpful program by next month."

That's where the "Civility Check" comes in.

"We propose a Civility Check that can accurately tell whether the e-mail you're
about to send is angry and caution you, 'warning: this appears to be an uncivil
e-mail. do you really and truly want to send it?'" they wrote. "(Software
already exists to detect foul language. What we are proposing is more subtle,
because it is easy to send a really awful e-mail message that does not contain
any four-letter words.) A stronger version, which people could choose or which
might be the default, would say, 'warning: this appears to be an uncivil e-mail.
this will not be sent unless you ask to resend in 24 hours.' With the stronger
version, you might be able to bypass the delay with some work (by inputting,
say, your Social Security number and your grandfather's birth date, or maybe by
solving some irritating math problem!)."

Sunstein's nomination to the powerful new position will require Senate approval.
He is almost certain to face other questions about his well-documented
controversial views:

* In a 2007 speech at Harvard he called for banning hunting in the U.S.

* In his book "Radicals in Robes," he wrote: "[A]lmost all gun control
legislation is constitutionally fine. And if the Court is right, then
fundamentalism does not justify the view that the Second Amendment protects an
individual right to bear arms."

* In his 2004 book, "Animal Rights," he wrote: "Animals should be permitted
to bring suit, with human beings as their representatives ."

* In "Animal Rights: A Very Short Primer," he wrote "[T]here should be
extensive regulation of the use of animals in entertainment, in scientific
experiments, and in agriculture."

The American Conservative Union is offering an opportunity for Americans to
sound off on Sunstein's agenda. The organization has created a website called
Stop Sunstein through which readers can submit petition signatures to members of
the U.S. Senate.

"As one of America's leading constitutional scholars, Cass Sunstein has
distinguished himself in a range of fields, including administrative law and
policy, environmental law, and behavioral economics," said Obama at his
nomination of his regulatory czar. "He is uniquely qualified to lead my
administration's regulatory reform agenda at this crucial stage in our history.
Cass is not only a valued adviser, he is a dear friend and I am proud to have
him on my team."

O'Leary disagrees.

"It's hard to imagine President Obama nominating a more dangerous candidate for
regulatory czar than Cass Sunstein," he says. "Not only is Sunstein an
animal-rights radical, but he also seems to have a serious problem with our
First Amendment rights. Sunstein has advocated everything from regulating the
content of personal e-mail communications, to forcing nonprofit groups to
publish information on their websites that is counter to their beliefs and
mission. Of course, none of this should be surprising from a man who has said
that 'limitless individual choices, with respect to communications, is not
necessarily in the interest of citizenship and self-government.' If it were up
to Obama and Sunstein, everything we read online - right down to our personal
e-mail communications - would have to be inspected and approved by the federal
government."

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=96775

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Car thieves beware: Leopard in trunk

2009-05-01T18:25:00.001-07:00

Car thieves beware: Leopard in trunk

Tue Apr 28, 2:49 pm ET
SAINT PETERSBURG (AFP) – The owner of a rare species of leopard said his
car was stolen on Tuesday in Saint Petersburg and the thieves were in for a
surprise. There is a baby leopard in the trunk.

"My driver and I were in the process of settling the leopard in the trunk
of my Mercedes... when three masked assailants attacked us. They managed to
get away with the car," Mikhail Barakin told AFP.

Barakin is offering a reward of 70,000 euros (90,940 dollars) for the
return of his exotic pet, an Asian Leopard Cat, worth more to him than the
Mercedes SUV.

"I am worried about the leopard. I don't need the Mercedes. If someone
returns the animal, I won't press charges," he said.

Barakin, who heads a private television station in Saint Petersburg, said
the rare breed of Asian Leopard Cat was a gift from a Moscow businessman he
had dealings with. He could not say where the animal had been procured.
The leopard is worth about 270,000 euros (350,760 dollars) by Barakin's
estimates.

The Asian Leopard Cat, which is no bigger than an average house cat, is
native to Russia's southern border with China and across Southeast Asia, but
only a few thousand of the rare species remain. It is not an endangered
animal.

(http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090428/od_afp/russiaanimalscrimeenvironmentoffbea\
t_20090428184922
)

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457

http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Sign our petition to protect tigers from being farmed here:

http://capwiz.com/bigcatrescue/issues/alert/?alertid=9952801&type=CU

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! http://twitter.com/BigCatRescue

This message contains information from Big Cat Rescue that may be confidential or privileged. The information contained herein is intended
only for the eyes of the individual or entity named above. You are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, disclosure, and/or copying of the information contained in this communication is strictly prohibited. The recipient should check this e-mail and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Big Cat Rescue accepts no liability for any damage or loss caused by any virus transmitted by this e-mail.

Big Cat Rescuers

SKIP the bobcat

Swimming Bobcat!

BIG CAT RAP!!

Feeding 100+ Tigers, Lions, Leopards...

Meet Canyon the SAND CAT!

BIG CAT SUMMER!

Liger Physical

Vote Big Cat Rescue in Toyota's 100 Cars for Good

Sleepy Tigers....

Top 10 Tiger Facts

*BIG Cat Toys!

BIG CATS need a BIG TRUCK!

Liger ROAR!

Tiger Easter!

Big Cat Scares! :)

Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom Nom *Big Cats!!

LYNX gets a haircut!

Backyard Tigers of America...

Q: Do TIGERS hate CINNAMON??

CIRCUS

18 Servals, 1 Sanctuary...

♥ Big Cat Love ♥

Bobcat Kittens + 2011 Rehab UPDATE

Lion eats whole rabbit - WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT

LION TACOS!! - - - $8.75 each!!

2 Tigers vs RHINO !?

How to Flea Treat 100+ BIG CATS !!

Cougar Rescue

Living in the Lion's Den for 30 Days James Jablon

Om Nom Nom - Serval :)

*Big Cat Christmas!*

Help the BIG CATS this christmas!

Help FREE Tony the Tiger!

CUTEST Big Cat Contest! - *WIN Paw Painting!

GEOFFROY CAT Species Spotlight

Petting Lion & Tiger Cubs at Malls & Fairs

Turkey Day for TIGERS!

TIGER FAIL!! Vegetarian Tiger??

*BAD BIG CATS!!

Petting Lion & Tiger Cubs

BOBCATS of Big Cat Rescue

"BEARCAT" VS PUMPKIN !!

Big Cat Halloween

Lion + White Tiger = Cameron & Zabu!

BIG CAT RESCUE - Fur Ball 2010

Big Cats GO GREEN! How Tigers Recycle!

Tony the Truck Stop Tiger: UPDATE

MEET OUR TIGERS! 2010 Year of the Tiger

WORLD FIRST - Snow Leopard Lithotripsy.

Bobcat Kittens "The Outside World"

2010 Big Cat Wins Animal Lovers vs Animal Terrorists

Pet Supplies That Support Big Cats

Pet Serval Rescued

Big Cat Rescue AdvoCat News August 2010

TIGERS ♥ to Paint !!

SNOW LEOPARD stalking and attacks!

Circus Life..."Captive" Entertainment

COUGAR Species Spotlight

Q: Do TIGERS like catnip??

White Tigers Are All Inbred and Crossbred

Liger + Tiger + Lion = BIG CAT RESCUE!

BOBCAT KITTENS Vs Rats/Chicks/Mice!

Bobcat Kitten FAIL

July 2010 AdvoCat Ezine with Big Cat Rescue News

Ocelot Ear Surgery at Big Cat Rescue

R.I.P Snorkel the Tiger ...

ANGELICA the BOBCAT

Windsong the Bobcat Founder of Big Cat Rescue Dies, Sanctuary Mourns

CANADIAN LYNX Species Spotlight

Beautiful, Wild and Free.

BOBCAT KITTENS! "Play Time"

Dangerous Trade: About the Show Dealing in Tigers

BIG CAT Proposal...

Mary Poppins Crew Visits Big Cat Rescue

Help Save a Serval

Rarest Cat in the World? DENTAL SURGERY

Animal Rescue Site Enables Bobcat Rescue

Purr-fect Mom to Baby Bobcats!

Animal Planet Hero of the Year Award Contest

Big Cat Christmas!

by Chris Kirkham, The Times-Picayune
Friday May 01, 2009, 9:30 PM

Vet, hospital team up to
save cub