# Tigers and other cats



## crocodile_dan (Nov 21, 2012)

I thought I would change it up with a thread about big cats (_Panthera_) and some small cats (_Felis_). My main passion and most of my experience is with tigers, but I am also currently working with lions, leopards, cougars, serval, bobcats and american black bears. All these species are remarkably beautiful and I love my current position which I have for the next 6-12 months.

My main focus in this line of work is enrichment, conservation and habitat design. My managers are very eager to establish an enrichment program for the cats which will be great to contribute to whilst I'm here I can bring some ideas from my previous experience to the park.

The facility I am working at is a non-for-profit park that operates as a rescue sanctuary for many of the residents at the park. 

If you have any photos, articles or information relating to big cats or small cats (preferably non-domestic as there are other threads on that) then throw it up here so we can all have a look 

Below are some of the many residents I'm now working with.


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## treeofgreen (Nov 21, 2012)

Always been inlove with big cats. Black panthers are just BEAUTIFUL!

I have only 1 item on my "bucket list" and that is to see a snow leopard in the wild. Will be crazy hard to tick off, but that's the fun right?

You lucky bugger.... i sit and show noobs how to print a word document and you get to work with those. Jelly! Thanks for the pics!


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 21, 2012)

They are all amazing 

That is an awesome item for a bucket list! best of luck.

I am very lucky already, I'm at the position here now so that I can hopefully get a tiger handler position later on when an availability comes up, that is my dream job!


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## SamNabz (Nov 21, 2012)

Awesome job you have, Dan.

Now when you say "rescue sanctuary", and assuming you're in Australia, does that mean the animals are either confiscated from smugglers/smuggling rings and/or illegal pets that got too big?


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## Magpie (Nov 21, 2012)

SamNabz said:


> Awesome job you have, Dan.
> 
> Now when you say "rescue sanctuary", and assuming you're in Australia, does that mean the animals are either confiscated from smugglers/smuggling rings and/or illegal pets that got too big?



I reckon the snow makes it pretty clear it's not in Australia.


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## SamNabz (Nov 21, 2012)

Magpie said:


> I reckon the snow makes it pretty clear it's not in Australia.



Thanks for that. Couldn't make out the snow picture as the images are not appearing properly on my screen - something like this APS Image Error


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 21, 2012)

SamNabz and LizardJasper, I recently moved to the U.S. a few weeks ago for hopefully 6-12 months at a place called Cat Tales Zoological Park and Training School, located in Spokane, Washington. I am returning back to Aus after I finish however. It is not an employed position though but we are actively responsible for the daily husbandry and management of the residents.

I don't mind bringing up "aussie big cats" but as SamNabz pointed out there is a thread devoted specifically to this topic. 

Hopefully I can continue to put photos up every week or two, and also provide some details about any specific tasks we do with the cats.

- - - Updated - - -

and yes the first time I've been somewhere when it snows


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## Venomous_RBB (Nov 21, 2012)

So jealous right now, I love big cats, Reptiles are my favourite animal but big cats are so close behind, it isnt funny.
I have always loved the Tiger, especially the Sumatran, I also love all of the african big cats, as well as native american big cats.
My favourite smaller species of big cats would have to be the Lynx and Serval <3

Again, very jealous


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## SamNabz (Nov 21, 2012)

Thanks for the response, Dan, definitely sounds like a great experience.


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## Stevo2 (Nov 21, 2012)

Here's a few


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 21, 2012)

I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that they are from Singapore Zoo Stevo2?


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## Stevo2 (Nov 21, 2012)

Sturdy limb you chose Dan


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## pythrulz (Nov 21, 2012)

What a great job you have working with these beautiful animals great pictures always loved the big cats especialy tigers it is a pity they are all but wiped out in there wild habitat with only a few thousand tigers remaining sad what mankind are doing to wild animals and the enviroment


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## Asharee133 (Nov 21, 2012)

Any snow leopards?!


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 21, 2012)

That tiger enclosure at Singapore Zoo is beautiful, I showed it to the people here in my first week and they were astonished, very different to the enclosures here. I dislike most of the enclosures here. They are a far cry from what I'm used to.

I just hope I can continue to get the position I want once I have completed my time here. it is very sad that 1-5 tigers are poached everyday in the wild. There are some amazing conservation programs in effect that have seen stabilization and possible increase in tiger populations in some areas. I have contributed to one of these programs and I'd like to do much more in the near future.

Other Big Cat related news Darling Downs just had a white lion born at their zoo for anyone interested see their facebook for updates. I'll put any information related to captive and wild cats I hear about up here in the future.


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## Vixen (Nov 21, 2012)

You have my dream job sir, you must be absolutely thrilled being able to devote your time and love to these magnificent creatures. Do you work with any Lions aswell?


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 21, 2012)

No, no snow leopards from me.

- - - Updated - - -

I have worked with them, and we have one 2yo lioness plus a 10mo male cub at the zoo I'm at now. I will try and get further pics later, usually the only time I get is on mondays as our work day is 7-6:30 with no breaks even for lunch


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## JasonL (Nov 21, 2012)

Not a big cat, but still a cat... wild Leopard Cat, Borneo


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 27, 2012)

Lots of new photos 

So we recently had Thanksgiving last Thursday and on Sunday (yesterday here) we held a special "Turkey Toss" at the zoo. The big guys, tigers and lioness, got a whole turkey (or turkeys), the leopards and cougars got whipped cream pies, and the bobcats got mice. We also had four of our Siberian tigers turn 5 on the 24th so there were a few enrichment presents going around as well 

For any movie buffs I attached a (bad) photo of a Bengal tiger named Ceylon, her brother born in the same litter is Shirkon the star of Gladiator  their parent's were the first bengals at the zoo.

Very unfortunately earlier this year the adult male lion Zamba passed away before I arrived. I'm sure most of you would know him, he was/is the MGM lion. It would have been amazing to work with him.


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## Venomous_RBB (Nov 28, 2012)

Naww so cute <3
All the animals look so happy and healthy 

Sad about Zamba 
He was the main reason I fell in love with Lions, he had such a stunning mane, me as a kid thought that was just impossibly awesome, and from then on, I was drawn to lions <3

Still very jealous that you get to work with such awesome animals :lol:


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## crocodile_dan (Nov 28, 2012)

The animals are very well cared for, there are many animals here however which are very old. Our oldest animal is Kalki a North Chinese Leopard born in 1991.

If you google "Zamba Cat Tales" you can see pictures of him, he had the biggest mane I've seen so far! We have a train line running behind the park and when the train passed Zamba would roar. When our lioness roars it is truly an amazing sounds that you have to stop what you're doing and appreciate it.


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## Ricko (Dec 2, 2012)

The mountain lion is awesome.

So obviously there is not much contact with any of them? 

You doing this to hopefully come back to aus and get a paid job with big cats?

Good luck with it all.


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## crocodile_dan (Jan 12, 2013)

Hi Ricko, sorry I missed your post:

All contact with the cats is protective contact apart from cubs, there are two managers who can go in with some of the cats but usually this is just switching them from on-display exhibits to their off-display dens. We do have a male lion cub who gets walked and contact with some of the managers and more advanced students but that is not me yet. Safety is paramount here, we are working with large predators which demand respect and strict protocol.

My goal is a position within the Australia Zoo tiger department where I was a long term volley, but positions are rare so I'll have to wait until one is available and then based on how I went with the last position I may get lucky with a future position because of how close I came back then. I know one of the founders of the Dreamworld facility (he is a trainer here) so they also do amazing work. Both facilities contribute MASSIVELY to conservation which is a primary focus for me and something I'm actively involved in. I would also be interested in field work with tiger conservation.

Some recent pics of some of the cats, I'm biased towards tigers if anyone hasn't noticed  These are Siberian tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) and our oldest bobcat (Lynx rufus/Felis rufus) born in 1993!









Cheers,
Daniel


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## Miss-Mac (Jan 12, 2013)

Those bobcats are just to die for! Lovely photos all round mate, can't wait to see more in the future. 

I've seen the white lion cub at the DD zoo.. Cute thing, but I won't be going back sadly. =s


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## crocodile_dan (Jan 12, 2013)

Thanks, the bobcats are very cool. Loads of personality  We have six in total at present.

I went to DDZ in 2010, they have some big expansion plans and some imports coming in the future. Would have been great to see the cub  They will be the only zoo in QLD to hold lions once "Shambala" finalizes the export of their non AZA animals to Indonesia.


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## Miss-Mac (Jan 12, 2013)

I was getting all exicted when I opened up the thread as saw bobcats, I thought they were over here and I was about to jump for joy, lol. 

I went around 2010 too, but since then and now hardly anything has changed. Apart from the cub and reptile and koala addition. The cub was in a small little children's pen-thing in the entrance/admittance, didn't realize it was there until I looked over the counter (I was looking at the little crocs first in truth.)


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## Tigerfloss (Jan 12, 2013)

Thanks for sharing your journey. My passion is tigers. I love them. Ask my family, have pics etc everywhere. I envy you SO much!! I haven't been on this forum for over 12 months, and thought I'd check it out this morning....and I am SO happy I did!! Incredible pics!! Thanks again!!


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## crocodile_dan (Jan 12, 2013)

New Zealand has bobcats in some of their zoos, not sure on numbers though.

I'm on a zoo forum where the owner of DDZ frequents and they have one reptile and 2-3 mammal imports coming in the nearish future, should be exciting for them. I know there is meant to be an import of Komodo Dragons into Aus in the future so I'm hoping that's the reptile for DDZ. Did you take any photo's there? Feel free to put them up if you did, especially of the cub 

Thanks Tigerfloss, it has taken me years to get here and took just under a year to sort my visa as well, but it's all paid off now and I'm very privileged to be around these cats. You can't go wrong with having a passion for tigers  I'm glad you enjoyed my pics and journey. Feel free to share any wild cat pics or info


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## Miss-Mac (Jan 12, 2013)

I've never thought about going over to NZ, but if they have bobcats.. Well, I might have to re-think that. Lynx are my favorite (Iberian to be exact) but bobcats are close enough!

I did hear also that there were some Komodo's coming over soon. But I don't know where to, it will be interesting to find out. I did take a few photos, can't remember if there are any of the cubs though. They are on one of my many SD cards I have laying around


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## crocodile_dan (Jan 12, 2013)

Hamilton Zoo is now the only zoo in NZ with Bobcat with Franklin Zoo closing.

I tried to find where I read about the Komodo's but couldn't find it, I remember several zoos are benefiting from the import. Look forward to pics of the DDZ cats


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## Miss-Mac (Jan 12, 2013)

I don't think I got any of the tigers/lions outside. If there is a mesh/chain fence I normally don't take photos, I find it troublesome. I think in the whole time I've tried to take photos through chainlink I've only even gotten one that was decent and that was a Freshy.


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## crocodile_dan (Jan 12, 2013)

My DDZ photos are on a hard drive back in Aus, the male white lion had a very small mane then, would be good to see how his mane's filled out  

No worries, if you ever have anything cat related chuck it up on this thread  I'll try and get new photos up in the next few weeks.


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## Miss-Mac (Jan 12, 2013)

We only saw the white lioness out, but the colored male next door was in a small pen within the lion enclosure. I do have some alright photos of the white lions from down in Taz laying about somewhere (Probably on my old laptop.)


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## crocodile_dan (Jan 13, 2013)

Sounds good! This is a thread for any and all things (wild) cat 

Any photo's, news, conservation, zoo visits etc anyone has feel free to share at anytime


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