Zoo 'tests baby leopards and tigers' natural reflexes' by throwing them a LIVE rabbit to play with

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Nervous: These tiger cubs seem not to know what to do when confronted with a rabbit

You might think that tiger cubs would be hard-wired to go after their prey aggressively from an early age.
But when these wild-beasts-in-training were presented with a juicy rabbit, their predatory instincts seemed to fail them.
The white rabbit simply jumped around their enclosure, eluding their grasping paws as it outpaced them.

Escape: The rabbit's leaping abilities apparently enabled it to avoid a grisly fate

The charming scenes took place at Qingdao Forestry Zoo in Shandong province in northern China.
Zookeepers there put the rabbit in with the tiger and leopard cubs when they reached the age of two months.

Athletic: The rabbit's canny escape attempt seemed to outpace this leopard on the prowl

They hoped to test how well developed the big cats' wild instincts were by seeing if they would be able to hunt down the rabbit.
However, the intended prey was apparently able to escape the fierce animals' attention.

Success? One leopard cub got his teeth on the rabbit - but only managed to chomp on its ear

Stand-off: The tiger apparently tried intimidating the rabbit by giving it the hairdryer treatment

The tiny tigers even seemed to shy away from the rabbit, though it was only a quarter of its size.
Photographs of the chase show that the worst any of the predators was able to do was to grab hold of one of the rabbit's ears.
The scene was presided over by a mother tiger, separated from the youngsters in another cage.

Playful: The big cats toyed with the rabbit but were not pictured going in for the kill

Disapproving: The mother tiger would have had no problems catching and eating the white rabbit

source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2417494/Zoo-China-tests-tigers-reflexes-throwing-live-rabbit.html
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Dramatic footage shows what it is like to be eaten by a TIGER as big cats are caught on camera playing in the snow

By LARISA BROWN

A tiger at Longleat Safari Park is captured ferociously attacking a snowman, causing it to split in half and fall to the ground

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to be eaten by a tiger, then think no further.
Footage captured at a safari park in south west England shows the moment a big cat pounces on its prey - from the victim's perspective.
But have no fear, the victim is a remote video camera hidden in the snow at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire.

Different perspective: As the tiger pounces, a camera hidden inside the snowman captures the underneath of its fascinating body

The hungry beast took such a liking to the camera that it started to eat it.
The small device carried on recording as Siberian tiger Soundari put it in her jaws, and captured incredibly close-up shots of the inside of the creature's gaping mouth.
Her razor-sharp teeth were so clear that when keepers at the park watched the footage back they were able to do a dental check on Soundari.
The footage also recorded her extremely rough tongue - designed to strip feathers, fur and meat from prey in the wild - as well as her black, cavernous throat.

The female tiger gets up close to the camera and peers in through the snow as it ponders whether to devour the device

Unsurprisingly, seven-year-old Soundari didn't like the taste of the two inch wide GoPro camera and spat it out.
Staff at Longleat had earlier entered the enclosure when the four resident Siberian tigers were locked in, to build two snowmen in the snow for them to play with.
They embedded one video camera in the shoulder of one 6ft snowman and a second in the snow on the ground.

Frightening: The mouth of the big cat, including its whiskers and white fur can be seen in the footage

The keepers also shot some more footage from the safety of their 4x4 parked nearby.
The pictures show the inquisitive tigers at first sniffing around the snowmen before they playfully demolish them.
They also capture two of the creatures on their hind legs play-fighting.

The tiger decides to make a move on its victim and opens its mouth, revealing its cavernous throat and extremely rough tongue

'It was also very useful as it gave us the opportunity to do a quick health check on Soundari's mouth, gums and teeth.'
Soundari is one of four Amur Siberian tigers that are kept at Longleat. The other three are Svelti and Shouri and Turlock, a male.
They were all born in captivity and are aged about seven years old.

Fascinating: As the tiger attacks the camera it remains working and films more of the inside of its mouth. The footage was so close-up it enabled its keepers to do a health check on its gums and teeth

The tigers are filmed after the camera was placed by the keepers at the safari park and before they launch their attack



source: dailymail

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Pictured: Sickening moment tiger is beaten around the head with a stick to pose for photographs with Chinese families

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Cruel: A docile tiger is smacked around the head as tourists, one of them nonchalantly smoking a cigarette, pose for pictures with the animal

Shocking video emerged today showing a dazed and confused tiger being smacked in the head with sticks while being forced to pose for photographs with tourists.
The tiger, which appears to have been drugged, is seen slumped on a table as excited parents and children queue up to sit next to the endangered animal.
To ensure it keeps facing the camera, two men armed with white sticks bash it in the face and neck.

Bashed: The tiger, which appears to have been drugged, is seen slumped on a table as excited parents and children queue up to sit next to the endangered animal

Cruel: A docile tiger is smacked around the head as tourists, one of them nonchalantly smoking a cigarette, pose for pictures with the animal

It is not clear where or when the video was taken or who is organising the photographs, which are very likely to have been laid on for financial gain.
But in a posting on liveleak.com, where the footage was uploaded, it claims to have taken place in the popular beach resort of Beidaihe in the Chinese city of Qinhuangdao, possibly at a zoo.
One commenter said: 'I was seriously hoping this video would end with one of those two guys mauled.'
Emergence of the video comes just days after terrified lions were pelted with snowballs by by laughing visitors, including children, at Hangzhou Zoo in Zhejiang Province, eastern China.

Spectator sport: Parents and two young children sit next to the tiger for their picture in front of a wildlife background



source: dailymail

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Horrific moment three young tigers attack and eat young cub at Chinese wildlife park 'because they hadn't been fed'

By EMMA REYNOLDS

Starving beasts: Young Siberian tigers feast on a rare white Bengal tiger at the wildlife park in eastern China

These horrific images show three young tigers killing and feeding on a young cub at a safari park in eastern China, apparently because they had not been properly fed.
The shocking photos of Siberian tigers eating a rare white Bengal cub were taken by visitors touring the wildlife park in Rongcheng, Shandong province.
'At first we thought they were playing but then they got the cub on the floor,' said an appalled onlooker.

Vicious attack: Horrified visitors said they could not see meat anywhere and the tigers looked hungry

'Then while two of them pulled at its legs, the other bit into its neck. From then on the poor thing was food as far as they were concerned.
'We couldn't see any meat anywhere and they looked like they were hungry. It was shocking.'
Zoo officials have denied claims that the young tigers turned on the cub because they hadn't been fed.
A spokesman said: 'Young big cats practice their hunting skills all the time and we think that's what happened here.
'It's a terrible tragedy as both these breeds are endangered in the wild.'

Exotic location: Zookeepers at the park in Rongcheng, Shandong province have denied claims the tigers turned on the cub because they hadn't been fed

The Siberian tiger is the biggest cat on earth and would not normally come into contact with other species of tiger in the wild.
If a rogue tiger invaded its territory, it would have no hesitation in attacking, but it would normally eat other large animals.
Siberian tigers will scavenge a tiger carcass if sufficiently hungry, but do not like the taste of carnivores' meat, especially that of their own kind.
The Siberian male has been known to kill the cubs of others, but this is generally to bring the mother into heat and mate with her. The cubs are only eaten because in nature nothing goes wasted.
This level of desperation normally comes about if the tiger is old and injured, or sick.

source: dailymail

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It's a dog's life for them! Abandoned baby tigers mothered by a welcoming Shar-Pei hound

By JAMES TITCOMB

Special bond: Cleopatra the Shar Pei feeds her two adoptive children. When the two cubs' mother refused to feed them Cleopatra took over mothering duties and is now giving them all her attention, zoo workers have said

When a rare Siberian tiger gave birth to two baby cubs at a zoo in Sochi, Russia, keepers were overjoyed.
However, when the cubs' mother refused to feed them, an unusual candidate stepped forward.
The two cubs were adopted by the most unlikeliest of nannies - a Shar-Pei dog called Cleopatra - who now breastfeeds and cleans the tigers, Clyopa and Plyusha.

Playful: Siberian tiger cub Plyusha gets the better of Shar-Pei puppy Fighter in the house in Socha, Russia

Luckily, Cleopatra had just had a litter of puppies herself, and freely accepted the cubs as her own.
Now the cubs live with Cleopatra, her puppies, and a cat called Masyanya at a house in Sochi, western Russia, where they are taken care of by owner Yekaterina Khodakova.

Watch out: Clyopa stalks past 18-month-old baby Gleb, who shares the house with dogs, cats and tigers

The cubs are fed by their adoptive mother and play and lie around the house just like regular cats.
They even play fight with their new siblings, as these adorable pictures show.
The cubs were born in late May in a zoo at the Oktyabrsky health resort in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

Tussle: Clyopa battles with cat Masyanya. The month-old cubs have been welcomed into the house

Get off me! Plyusha and adoptive sibling Fighter playfight in the house of Yekaterina Khodakova

Zoo assistant director Viktoria Kudlayeva said the dog immediately gave the cubs all her attention.
‘She accepted them right away,’ Kudlayeva said. ‘She's cleaning them and breast feeding them as if they were her own. And they also sleep together.’
Kudlayeva said that the cubs pose no danger to the dog even though they are already showing their claws and hissing.
‘They aren't aggressive and they depend on her for feeding,’ she said.
Fewer than 400 Siberian tigers - also known as Ussuri, Amur or Manchurian tigers - have survived in the wild, most of them in Russia's Far East.

New mother Cleopatra feeds Clyopa. The dog has mothered the tiger cubs since their mother abandoned them


Caring: Yekaterina Khodakova looks after the menagerie of pets, as well as her 18-month-old son Gleb

source: dailymail

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Tiger tug of war! Zoo gives visitors the chance to test their strength against big cats

By ROB PREECE

Getting a grip: A tiger at Busch Gardens takes part in a tug of war contest with visitors

The odds might be stacked against them, but there is no shortage of volunteers willing to take on a zoo's unusual challenge - to play tug-of-war with a tiger.
Visitors to Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida, are being given the chance to play with some of the most world's most fearsome animals.
In each contest, volunteers take a rope in their hands and a tiger tries to pull it from them with its mouth.
The challenge is called 'tiger tug' and several videos showing volunteers giving it a try have been posted on YouTube.
Even children have taken part in the scary contests, which involve tugging at the rope through a hole in the tiger's cage.

No fear: Even small children have volunteered for the 'tiger tug' challenge at the zoo

One video shows NASCAR motor racing driver Matt Kenseth, who won the Daytona 500 race in 2009, doing his best to hang on to the rope.
The challenge has been running for a number of years, but its popularity shows no sign of waning.

Heave: A girl starts to show the strain as the tiger takes charge

Pulling teeth: NASCAR motor racing driver Matt Kenseth tries to hang on

What a drag: The driver gets pulled forward by the tiger

Earlier this week staff at Busch Gardens put an invitation on the zoo's Facebook page, where more than 1,500 users have clicked to say they like it.
The tiger tug is one of the main events staged in the zoo's Jungala area, where seven Bengal tigers are kept.
Other star attractions at the zoo include cheetahs, hyenas, lemurs, meerkats, peacocks and elephants.





source: dailymail

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He's just a big pussycat: Meet the couple who share their South African home... with a 27-stone Bengal tiger

By AMY OLIVER

Nice kitty: Michael Jamison and girlfriend Jackie Smit bottle feed their one-year-old pet Bengal tiger Enzo on the kitchen table at their home in Brakpan, South Africa

In many ways Enzo is just like any other house cat: he likes attention, loves sleeping and can't wait to get his claws into the furniture.
But this adorable one-year-old is no common moggy.
In fact, he's a 27-stone pet Bengal tiger who lives with Michael Jamison and his girlfriend Jackie Smit in Brakpan, South Africa.

Big cat nap: Like any other cat Enzo enjoys sleeping... mostly on his mummy and daddy's bed

The couple share their home with the stripey diva - and 14 dogs.
They bought Enzo as a cute nine-week-old cub but a year later he has grown into a hulk after wolfing down 11lb of meat a day.
Mr Jamison, 37, said: 'Having Enzo is quite amazing. I can't compare it to anything else because every day is different.'

The dog ate it: But the cheeky tiger can be rather troublesome at times and has a penchant for chewing up furniture, especially sofas

Boys will be boys: Enzo does enjoy a bit of rough and tumble with Mr Jamison but getting body slammed by the 27-stone animal may not be quite as fun

Snooze: Miss Smit gets up close to Enzo as he does yet more dozing

As these hilarious pictures show Enzo is very much part of the family. He starts his day by running into the kitchen and leaping onto the kitchen table.
Then Mr Jamison or Miss Smit, 29, will bottle feed him milk. After that it's time for a nap, either on the couple's bed or on the handy chaise longue.
On waking Enzo might watch a spot of TV with Mr Jamison before the pair have a bit of rough and tumble, which the South African admits can get out of hand.

But I had a bath last year... Enzo tries to dodge getting wet in the couple's bathroom

Top cat: Enzo shares his home with no less than 14 pet dogs but it's clear who's the top cat

Now it's your turn: Enzo wolfs down his dinner... on top of the table

'Playing with a tiger can be really dangerous,' he said. 'If he gets you at the wrong place, even if he doesn't bite down, he can just scratch you with his teeth, you will bleed.
'That's one thing I've made peace with: every time I play with him I'm prepared to bleed a little bit.'
Then it's time for dinner. Enzo loves cat food, according to Mr Jamison but insists on gobbling it atop the kitchen table, which he really is too big for.

Counting sheep - or deer: Mr Jamison decides to let sleeping cats lie as he tucks into his dinner around Enzo

Snuggle: With one paw draped over Mr Jamison, Enzo sleeps soundly... next to the couple's bed

Pucker up: The tiger actually has his own bed slotted in next to the couple's own double, which shows signs of Enzo's handy work on the headboard

Chillax on the chaise: The youngster is good at relaxing and looks every inch the catinista on the couple's chaise longue

Night in front of the box: Mr Jamison treats Enzo to a little back scratch as the pair watch some TV

For all his tomfoolery, the big cat does have a naughty streak and a penchant for eating sofas.
He's too big for it now, but when the tiger was smaller he would also enjoy a day trip or two in the couple's yellow Lamborghini.
For now though, Enzo is happy to just be a very large house cat.

Day tripper: At four months Enzo could still fit in the couple's Lamborghini but it would be a bit of a squeeze now

Pay attention to me! Enzo makes sure no one can do any work by sitting in front of the computer


You're gonna need a bigger table: Mr Jamison feeds his tiger on the kitchen table

source: dailymail

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The big cats bringing in a roaring trade at Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple (but why are they so docile around tourists?)

-Tourists are permitted to pet and pose for pictures with the big cats
-The sanctuary is run by monks for orphaned tigers

By KERRY MCQUEENEY

Big cats: A brave tourist poses for souvenir photographs with a tiger at the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand

On first glance, you might assume these incredible images of tigers were taken in the wild.
The big cats are seen in all their majesty as they playfully frolic in a water pool.
However, these photographs were snapped at a sanctuary for orphaned tigers run by Buddhist monks - fast becoming one of Thailand's most popular tourist attractions.
One of the reasons for its popularity could be that it is one of the few places in the world where visitors are allowed to pet and pose for pictures with the carnivores.
The Tiger Temple in the western province of Kanchanaburi - about 80 km from Bangkok - began life in 1999 when the first female cub was brought to Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno, a Buddhist sanctuary, and was cared for by the monks.

Human contact: The sanctuary is run by Buddhist monks and staffed by volunteers who help feed, walk and play with the tigers

The temple is renowned for its practice of letting visiting tourists pet the tigers - after having paid a fee to have their pictures taken with the animals

Cat chat: Thai Buddhist Abbot monk Pra Acharn Phoosit Khantitharo - known as Abbot Chan - uses a walkie-talkie as he strolls among the tigers at the temple

Since then, it has evolved into a much larger wildlife haven and is now a major tourist attraction in Thailand.
It is one of the few places in the world that allows visitors to touch tigers.
For a basic entrance fee - or 'donation' - of 1,000 baht (about £20), visitors get a tour of the site and the chance to enter the sanctuary's Tiger Canyon, a quarry with a rocky pool at one end containing a dozen or so sleeping tigers chained to the ground.
During a small half-hour window, tourists have the option of being escorted around the quarry with two volunteers so they can pet each tiger while they sleep. One volunteer keeps an eye on the tiger while the other takes charge of tourist's camera and snaps away as they touch the big cats.


Up close: The sanctuary is one of the few places in the world where humans are allowed to touch the tigers

Tug of war: The monks say the reason the tigers are so docile around tourists is because years of being hand-reared at the temple have made them comfortable with human contact

For an extra fee, visitors can have their picture taken with the largest tiger's head resting in their lap.
And for more money, they can have a front row seat - in a cage near the water front - to watch the cats playing in the pool.
Despite its status as a sanctuary, the Tiger Temple has been dogged by controversy as it has grown as a tourist attraction.
Many online forums discussing the temple contain fierce debate of the ethical issues surrounding such a tourist attraction.
The temple has been forced to strenuously deny accusations that its big cat residents are sedated to allow tourists to have their pictures taken with them.
They say the reason the carnivores are so docile is because they have been hand-reared by the monks from an early age, which means their aggressive behaviour has been controlled and they do not see human contact as a threat.
However, many remain suspicious over why the cats are so calm and sleepy during the visiting sessions.

At ease: Tourists have the chance to get closer than most to these majestic tigers

Making a splash: Two tigers playfully fight each other in a pool at the Tiger Temple

Bath time: One tiger plays with a toy brandished by one of the volunteers at the sanctuary, as the others look on

Visitors to the sanctuary are made to sign a disclaimer before they are allowed to enter - to ensure the temple does not get sued in case someone is attacked by a tiger - and signs at the gate explain why the tigers are so used to human contact.
Tourists are also advised to steer clear of dressing in brightly-coloured clothes to avoid getting the tigers excited.
Nevertheless, for the most part, tourists who visit the Tiger Temple come away from it with a unique experience - a chance to get up close with the majestic big cats.

Price list: A sign at the Tiger Temple detailing the services on offer for tourists who want to get closer to the tigers

A review on travel bible Lonely Planet's website reads: 'Kanchanaburi’s most expensive tourist attraction is also its most controversial.
'This monastery affords incredible photo opportunities for visitors to get up close and personal with the big cats.
'Some of the temple’s 30 tigers pose for pictures in a canyon while visitors are shepherded in and out in quick succession.'

source: dailymail

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