Some of my new friends

Sazerac · 07-03-2002, 09:09 PM

Hello, everyone!

I've taken a well-needed break from General Discussions for the past two weeks, and wanted to share with you some of the things I've been doing during that time.

My wife and I are becoming volunteers at the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas (about 35 minutes away from where we live). This sanctuary is a "respite center" or hospice of sorts for exotic felines such as lions, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, jaguars, etc., that people have purchased and abandoned, or who have been abused or neglected. It is incredible the number of people in Texas alone who purchase exotic felines, find out they can't handle them (like DUHHHH) and then either abuse them or release them. Here at the IEFS, these beautiful creatures have a home and have a great degree of comfort and safety, although of course it isn't the wild. Many of them, because of their injuries or because of being raised in captivity, would simply never be considered for rehabitating into the wild; they would die very quickly because they wouldn't have the skills to survive, or their injuries would prevent them from doing so.

Here are a few of my new friends from the sanctuary:

Onyx is one of my favorites. He is a black leopard (not a panther; black "panther" is a misnomer) who came to the center from an owner who had him declawed and had made a botch job of it, so his claws grew back inverted. Onyx's home is now at the IEFS, and they did re-do the surgery so now he has full use of his paws. He is paired, interestingly enough, with a cougar named Ndito, although such a living arrangement would be unheard of in the wild. They get on famously together, and Onyx is one of the gentler creaturers out at the center. I had not known that there are two different types of black leopards: blue-black and red-black. Onyx is an example of the blue-black leopard, with a bluish-violet sheen to his coat. Another black leopard at the center, Sasha, is a red-black, and you can tell when you look at her in the sunlight the amount of red that's in her dark fur.

El Canello is one of the many lions out at the sanctuary. He and his partner, Rocky, were rescued from the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Mex., where they were going to be put to sleep because the zoo no longer could afford to keep them. These poor lions were in all-concrete cages that were 8' x 8'; barely the size of a small bedroom, and never got to see the sun at all. Now they live in large enclosures where they have grass, and sunlight, and trees. They have adjusted well at IEFS, and seem to be very content.

Domino is the sanctuary's male jaguar. He was born in captivity and needed a home, and the IEFS provided him one. He is extremely intelligent, showing considerable logical skills for a feline. Last summer when it was extremely hot, all the felines were provided ice blocks to cool off with. Most of them played with them a bit, but not Domino. He pulled his ice block out of his house, tumbling it end over end, looking back at his pool to determine how far he had to go and how to maneuver the block, and succeeded in getting it into the pool and then jumped in with it. He also learned that getting wet and standing in front of a fan cools one off even more. This is one smart jaguar!

Ceasar is my boy! I love this tiger. He is such a ham! The tigers represent the largest proportion of felines at the center (22 out of 68 cats), and Ceasar is one of the best! He is a very young tiger, barely 3 years old (just had a birthday in June). In "tiger" years, he'd be about 13 or 14 years old, just entering adolescence. (In short, if he were human, he'd probably be an Ironworks regular, LOL!) That "face" that he's making is called "flemming", and it's akin to a grin. He's particularly fond of "flemming", especially when new people come around. Apparently that process helps stimulate the olfactory and taste sensations so that the tiger can process more about his/her environment. Tigers are the most sociable of the big cats and will actually talk to you by "chuffing" (making a low whoofing type of sound).

These are just a few of the wonderful animals I'm going to be working with. Our training starts in late July. Eventually I may be giving tours, but if I'm just helping out with feeding and scooping tiger poop at first, I won't mind. It will be an honor and privilege to work with these magestic creatures, and to be making a difference in their world.

If you want to find out more about the other "critters" at the sanctuary, you can follow this link to the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary web page. They also have a video cam set up in various places that you can observe the cats, although I think their server is down temporarily right now.

Cheers,
-Sazerac

Cloudbringer · 07-03-2002, 09:15 PM

Sazzie this is so wonderful! I'm glad it worked out and you and your wife will do a great job! Those are magnificent creatures!!! Thank God they have a decent place to live... sigh....rescues always make me sad.. just the idea that for everyone one rescued, several never get saved...

Still, BRAVO for this place!

and the volunteers who help keep it running!

[ 07-03-2002, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

SomeGuy · 07-03-2002, 11:35 PM

Saz that's is great!I would like to work there too!

I don't live far from Texas!I live Oklahoma!

/)eathKiller · 07-03-2002, 11:52 PM

O_O Kittys!

^_^ big ones too!

awww day so sweeeet i'll be going to Texas this summer i might drop by...

K T Ong · 07-04-2002, 12:58 AM

Big cats can be nice -- so long as they don't attack you.

I wonder what Lioness would feel about this thread... [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

MasterPooBaa · 07-04-2002, 02:51 AM

wow... ive always liked the intermediate big cats... lynx's, ocelots, jaguars etc.

all i have at home is a rather daft chinchilla cross housecat that usually goes by the name "spacey"

they would make excellent bedwarmers!

norompanlasolas · 07-04-2002, 04:36 AM

those are some fine looking animals. congratulations for finding such a cool job! [img]smile.gif[/img]

johnny · 07-04-2002, 04:39 AM

That's a beautifull thing you're doing there Saz, i envy you, that's something i always wanted to do myself, working with big cats. Especially tigers, what's he doing in the pic, playing football ?

Melusine · 07-04-2002, 05:06 AM

Awww Saz, that's so wonderful!! You and Lela will be doing great work, and it must be so much fun too!!
I love the pics and the descriptions of the kitties, they're absolutely *gorgeous*! [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img]
Hey, could you possibly upload them to Stealthy's Animal Farm section? Maybe you could post new pics there as well if you get any [img]smile.gif[/img]
Or I could do it for you if you want, just let me know [img]smile.gif[/img]

WOLFGIR · 07-04-2002, 05:17 AM

SAZERAC!!!!

HOOOoOOOoOOOooOOoOOOoOOOoOOwwwwwwwwwwwwwwll!!

Man you rock! Another fella that cares for the predators!

YIHAAAA!!!

As you might know I´m sponsoring wolfgroups and wolverine groups!

07-03-2002, 09:09 PM	#1
Sazerac Ironworks Moderator Join Date: January 7, 2001 Location: Monroe, LA Age: 60 Posts: 7,387	Hello, everyone! I've taken a well-needed break from General Discussions for the past two weeks, and wanted to share with you some of the things I've been doing during that time. My wife and I are becoming volunteers at the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas (about 35 minutes away from where we live). This sanctuary is a "respite center" or hospice of sorts for exotic felines such as lions, tigers, leopards, jungle cats, jaguars, etc., that people have purchased and abandoned, or who have been abused or neglected. It is incredible the number of people in Texas alone who purchase exotic felines, find out they can't handle them (like DUHHHH) and then either abuse them or release them. Here at the IEFS, these beautiful creatures have a home and have a great degree of comfort and safety, although of course it isn't the wild. Many of them, because of their injuries or because of being raised in captivity, would simply never be considered for rehabitating into the wild; they would die very quickly because they wouldn't have the skills to survive, or their injuries would prevent them from doing so. Here are a few of my new friends from the sanctuary: Onyx is one of my favorites. He is a black leopard (not a panther; black "panther" is a misnomer) who came to the center from an owner who had him declawed and had made a botch job of it, so his claws grew back inverted. Onyx's home is now at the IEFS, and they did re-do the surgery so now he has full use of his paws. He is paired, interestingly enough, with a cougar named Ndito, although such a living arrangement would be unheard of in the wild. They get on famously together, and Onyx is one of the gentler creaturers out at the center. I had not known that there are two different types of black leopards: blue-black and red-black. Onyx is an example of the blue-black leopard, with a bluish-violet sheen to his coat. Another black leopard at the center, Sasha, is a red-black, and you can tell when you look at her in the sunlight the amount of red that's in her dark fur. El Canello is one of the many lions out at the sanctuary. He and his partner, Rocky, were rescued from the Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City, Mex., where they were going to be put to sleep because the zoo no longer could afford to keep them. These poor lions were in all-concrete cages that were 8' x 8'; barely the size of a small bedroom, and never got to see the sun at all. Now they live in large enclosures where they have grass, and sunlight, and trees. They have adjusted well at IEFS, and seem to be very content. Domino is the sanctuary's male jaguar. He was born in captivity and needed a home, and the IEFS provided him one. He is extremely intelligent, showing considerable logical skills for a feline. Last summer when it was extremely hot, all the felines were provided ice blocks to cool off with. Most of them played with them a bit, but not Domino. He pulled his ice block out of his house, tumbling it end over end, looking back at his pool to determine how far he had to go and how to maneuver the block, and succeeded in getting it into the pool and then jumped in with it. He also learned that getting wet and standing in front of a fan cools one off even more. This is one smart jaguar! Ceasar is my boy! I love this tiger. He is such a ham! The tigers represent the largest proportion of felines at the center (22 out of 68 cats), and Ceasar is one of the best! He is a very young tiger, barely 3 years old (just had a birthday in June). In "tiger" years, he'd be about 13 or 14 years old, just entering adolescence. (In short, if he were human, he'd probably be an Ironworks regular, LOL!) That "face" that he's making is called "flemming", and it's akin to a grin. He's particularly fond of "flemming", especially when new people come around. Apparently that process helps stimulate the olfactory and taste sensations so that the tiger can process more about his/her environment. Tigers are the most sociable of the big cats and will actually talk to you by "chuffing" (making a low whoofing type of sound). These are just a few of the wonderful animals I'm going to be working with. Our training starts in late July. Eventually I may be giving tours, but if I'm just helping out with feeding and scooping tiger poop at first, I won't mind. It will be an honor and privilege to work with these magestic creatures, and to be making a difference in their world. If you want to find out more about the other "critters" at the sanctuary, you can follow this link to the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary web page. They also have a video cam set up in various places that you can observe the cats, although I think their server is down temporarily right now. Cheers, -Sazerac __________________ "And all my days are trances, and all my nightly dreams, Are where thy grey eye glances, and where thy footstep gleams, In what ethereal dances, by what eternal streams..."

07-03-2002, 09:15 PM	#2
Cloudbringer Ironworks Moderator Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Upstate NY USA Posts: 19,737	Sazzie this is so wonderful! I'm glad it worked out and you and your wife will do a great job! Those are magnificent creatures!!! Thank God they have a decent place to live... sigh....rescues always make me sad.. just the idea that for everyone one rescued, several never get saved... Still, BRAVO for this place! and the volunteers who help keep it running! [ 07-03-2002, 09:16 PM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ] __________________ "Don't take life for granted." Animal (may he rest in peace)

07-03-2002, 11:35 PM	#3
SomeGuy Unicorn Join Date: May 14, 2002 Location: Oklahoma, USA Age: 33 Posts: 4,238	Saz that's is great!I would like to work there too! I don't live far from Texas!I live Oklahoma! __________________ \"I firmly believe that any man\'s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious.\"<br />-Vince Lombardi

07-03-2002, 11:52 PM	#4
/)eathKiller Dracolisk Join Date: January 5, 2002 Location: Guantanamo Bay, Cuba Age: 38 Posts: 6,043	O_O Kittys! ^_^ big ones too! awww day so sweeeet i'll be going to Texas this summer i might drop by... __________________ [img]\"http://membres.lycos.fr/th8or/ZeroSigForIronworks.gif\" alt=\" - \" /> o.o;

07-04-2002, 12:58 AM	#5
K T Ong Symbol of Cyric Join Date: January 27, 2002 Location: Plateau of Singapore Age: 61 Posts: 1,230	Big cats can be nice -- so long as they don't attack you. I wonder what Lioness would feel about this thread... [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img] __________________ <br />Look! Everyone\'s admiring me! <img border=\"0\" title=\"\" alt=\"[Big Grin]\" src=\"biggrin.gif\" />

07-04-2002, 02:51 AM	#6
MasterPooBaa Zhentarim Guard Join Date: April 15, 2002 Location: OZ! Age: 48 Posts: 332	wow... ive always liked the intermediate big cats... lynx's, ocelots, jaguars etc. all i have at home is a rather daft chinchilla cross housecat that usually goes by the name "spacey" they would make excellent bedwarmers! __________________ Today is a good day for SOMEONE ELSE to die!!!!!

07-04-2002, 04:36 AM	#7
norompanlasolas Avatar Join Date: November 13, 2001 Location: madrid, spain... made in argentina Age: 47 Posts: 569	those are some fine looking animals. congratulations for finding such a cool job! [img]smile.gif[/img] __________________ no

07-04-2002, 04:39 AM	#8
johnny 40th Level Warrior Join Date: April 15, 2002 Location: Utrecht The Netherlands Age: 58 Posts: 16,981	That's a beautifull thing you're doing there Saz, i envy you, that's something i always wanted to do myself, working with big cats. Especially tigers, what's he doing in the pic, playing football ? __________________

07-04-2002, 05:06 AM	#9
Melusine Dracolisk Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Age: 44 Posts: 6,541	Awww Saz, that's so wonderful!! You and Lela will be doing great work, and it must be so much fun too!! I love the pics and the descriptions of the kitties, they're absolutely gorgeous! [img]graemlins/wow.gif[/img] Hey, could you possibly upload them to Stealthy's Animal Farm section? Maybe you could post new pics there as well if you get any [img]smile.gif[/img] Or I could do it for you if you want, just let me know [img]smile.gif[/img] __________________ [img]\"hosted/melusine.jpg\" alt=\" - \" /><br />Your voice is ambrosia

07-04-2002, 05:17 AM	#10
WOLFGIR Bastet - Egyptian Cat Goddess Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Sweden Age: 50 Posts: 3,450	SAZERAC!!!! HOOOoOOOoOOOooOOoOOOoOOOoOOwwwwwwwwwwwwwwll!! Man you rock! Another fella that cares for the predators! YIHAAAA!!! As you might know I´m sponsoring wolfgroups and wolverine groups! __________________ Don´t eat the yellow snow

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