IEAS News

Get Ready for Valentine's Day!

2012-01-29T10:06:00.000-08:00

Are you ready to show your sweetheart how much you care?!

Here at IEAS, we've got a few PERFECT ways for you to be the best valentine possible to both your loved ones AND the IEAS residents!

Adopt an Animal in your valentine's name! Choosing an animal of their favorite species or a particular cat or bear that they care most about and adopting that animal in their name is amazing way to give your loved one an opportunity to spend time with one of the most incredible animals in the world! As an adoptive parent, he or she could come and visit his or her animal anytime and enjoy true companionship with them. It's an amazing experience that YOU can give!

Looking for something a little smaller, but just as awesome!? Make your sweetheart a Friend of a Feline (FOF) or Buddy of a Bear (BOB)! By purchasing an FOF or BOB packet, you will be giving the gift of a free one on one visit (from outside the habitat) with the animal whose packet you choose. You're loved one will be able to have this incredible, once in a lifetime visit, a certificate, an 8 x 10 photo, and his or her animal's story!

If you call and order by February 10, we will be able to mail your adoption packet or BOB/FOF packet to you by Valentine's Day, so don't delay!

REMEMBER, when you purchase one of these gifts, your payment DIRECTLY benefits the IEAS residents. 100% of profits from these gifts and all purchases from IEAS go to help the animals, so you can be THEIR sweetheart, too!

Call 940-433-5091 to place an order!

For more info about Adopting, click here!

Nutritional Center!

2012-01-26T07:33:00.000-08:00

If you've been on a tour at IEAS, you may have heard your guide refer to the Ed Browne Nutritional Center as the "heart of the Sanctuary" or the Sanctuary's "home base." Well, they were right! The Nutritional Center (NC) is a very busy (not to mention IMPORTANT) place. A whole lot of stuff is done here and even more is kept track of here. This building is where IEAS staff and interns start and finish every day and where the diets of both feline and bear residents alike are made.

When you enter the NC, the first thing you can't help but notice is usually the smell - and it's not bad! In fact, it will always smell CLEAN! After the feline diets are prepared in the morning, the NC is very diligently cleaned and sanitized in every necessary way. You won't find messes here!

Once you start checking the place out, you'll notice a few dry erase boards with a TON of information on them. These boards help keep everything very organized. The biggest board is home to our diet preparation information. Depicting medications, special diets, meat poundages for each feline, and much more, this board is constantly changing and having it all right at our fingertips is the best way to ensure that we will be providing the PERFECT diet for each resident, every day.

Another important board, though slightly smaller, is found on the other side of the NC. As you can imagine, there is always PLENTY that needs done in a Sanctuary such as IEAS. Constant maintenance, upkeep, and much more keep staff and interns very busy. How do we keep track of it all? The Daily Assignments board! Each day, we have a list of things that need to get done and each one is written on this board so it is not forgotten! It is the perfect way for us to organize our week!

Other things you'll see in the NC? Lots of pans and refrigerators/freezers! We have lots of stuff to keep cold and animals to feed, so plenty of storage is definitely a necessity!

Come see the Ed Browne Nutritional Center for yourself! As cool as it is, what lives right outside its doors is even more incredible! The importance of this building to the amazing animals at IEAS is definitely worth a stop on your tour!

Hope to see you soon!

Get Your Firewood from IEAS!

2012-01-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

Anyone interested in

purchasing some firewood

to benefit the felines and

bears at the International

Exotic Animal Sanctuary!?

We have several cords of cured firewood for sale

and all of the profits will directly go

to the animals who call the Sanctuary home!

Purchase a full cord for $260 or a half cord for $140! You must come t0 the Sanctuary to pick it up, but that will be the perfect time to visit with the friendly, furry faces who your purchase will help!

Call 940-433-5091 if you are interested!

What is a Drive Through?!

2012-01-18T12:18:00.000-08:00

Twice a day, IEAS keepers do what is called a "drive through" here at the Sanctuary. A drive through is basically an all encompassing safety and security check. Each and every habitat, gate, lock, pin, and animal is checked to be sure it is in place and secure. Keepers are also looking for anything out of the norm. If a branch has fallen, something was left in a habitat, or something was placed too close to a habitat, this is a chance to find it! One drive through is done at lunch time, and two more are done at the end of the day. That being said, once you have trained your eyes to be checking all of this, it's hard to stop them! Because of that, we are really checking everything every chance we get! Eyes are always on alert for anything that might be wrong!

As stated, this is normally a job for the keepers, but aspiring keepers (i.e. the interns!) are having the chance to hone their observational skills by practicing on drive through! They started their drive throughs with a keeper, riding along and learning how and where to see everything that needs to be seen. They are often reminded that there is a BIG difference between LOOKING at something and SEEING it, so they are currently in the process of training themselves! Now, they partner up and do a drive through together at the end of the day.

Drive through is one of the many important safety procedures that IEAS uses to maintain a secure, comfortable, and SAFE home for the 66 animals that call the Sanctuary home - and for the people who take care of them!

Warm Week Ahead!

2012-01-16T13:13:00.000-08:00

It looks like the weather will be cooperating with us!

With sunny highs around 70 for the rest of the week,

we should be able to get a number of projects done!

Warmer temperatures allow us to work with mortar and cement, paint some things, and work with the PVC piping and pumps that keep the animals' pools running! Today and in the next few days, Khera's new waterfall, Duke's new pump, and a new sign for the entrance of IEAS will be getting done. Staff is working hard to teach interns the in's and out's of getting these projects done in ways that will insure their longevity, durability, and effectiveness!

We can't wait to see Khera in her new

waterfall. She has always loved her pool and we are sure that running water will make it that much more fun for her. Duke, being the unique cougar that is his, is one of the few of his species that we have seen who truly enjoys water! He has been in his pool playing with his ball several times, especially when it's warm! Getting his pump up and running again will get him ready for splash time come warmer weather. Lastly, the new sign for the entrance of IEAS will add to the eye catching BIG CAT and BEAR images on the front of our gates. We can't wait for you to see everything!

AND REMEMBER - warmer weather (especially around 70 degrees) is PERFECT weather for a tour! The cats and bear residents of the Sanctuary prefer these temperatures and are very likely to be out and about enjoying the weather as much as you will enjoy seeing them!

Hope to see you soon!

IEAS Interns: Where are they now!?

2012-01-13T07:09:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered where the IEAS interns go once their internship ends? Well, the fact is, IEAS has had over 200 interns since the Intern Program began and 90% of them have gotten jobs in reputable animal facilities across the country and even a few in international locations!

Locally, IEAS interns have worked at the Fort Worth Zoo, Dallas Zoo, Dallas World Aquarium, Frank Buck Zoo, Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, the Texas Zoo and the San Antonio Zoo!

Nationwide, IEAS interns can be found at the St. Louis Zoo, Memphis Zoo, Nashville Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Zoo Montana, Detroit Zoo, Palm Beach Zoo, Lincoln Park Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo, Cincinnati Zoo, and MANY more!

Additionally, the Sanctuary has had many interns who took a slightly different route than zoo keeping. Several of the previous Animal Care interns at IEAS are now working at other sanctuaries or for organizations such as California Fish and Game, Saguaro National Park, Covington Equestrian Center, or the Minnesota Conservation Corp.

We could not be more proud to have IEAS represented in all of these places! It is our hope that the interns from IEAS take with them a knowledge base, an understanding of animal care and emotion, and safety conscious mind that will help them succeed in any job!

Reviews of IEAS!

2012-01-10T07:39:00.001-08:00

Well, we've been keeping a close eye on all of the reviews written about us here at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary on GreatNonProfits! We are so ecstatic that you have all had such positive experiences at IEAS. While we are here 100% for the animal residents of the Sanctuary, we consider to be a WONDERFUL bonus to be able to provide our visitors with an exciting, memorable, informative, and potentially life-changing experience.

There are SO many wonderful reviews (over 100 in fact!), but here are just a few of our favorite quotes from YOUR reviews!

"IEAS has given me the opportunity to gain that valuable experience in an environment that has welcomed me with open arms. I'm surrounded by keepers, interns, and staff who have a genuine care for these creatures, who want to change the world for the better, and who love their job come rain or shine. The IEAS facility is beautiful, clean, and full of animals that deserve a second chance at life. I have seen a lioness play soccer with her ball, a tiger chase his tail, and a bear covered in pink and green cake icing to name some of the crazy things I've seen out here. My life is filled with laughter and sunshine when I'm out at this wonderful place, and I want the world to know about it." - Hayley

"This place is the most incredible example for other animal sanctuaries around the country and the world. Everything they do is for the animals' sake, not just the profitable amusement of people. These animals have incredible stories that should be told, and the sanctuary does more than its fair share to spread knowledge of inhumanity towards wild animals. I believe in IEASthat they are in my will!" - gtalbs4

"On my first visit, I was extremely upset at one point by the stories of how the cats came to be atIEFS and how their background contributed to any specific health or emotional issues that they faced. Thank God, there are good people who want to take care of these special animals. It is great to see that the animals will regain their trust in humans due to the attention that they receive. I would recommend a visit to anyone who cares about cats. It is a moving and wonderful experience." - D1231

"WOW, the International Exotic Feline Sanctuary is an amazing place! I could tell upon our visit here that they really do care about the animals. Not only did we see big beautiful Cats and Bears, but we also learned what they eat and how it's prepared. We didn't even realize we were learning. We hope to be coming back for a visit soon!" - StarrKittie

"My husband and I visited the sanctuary a few years ago when they had just received the bears. I cannot tell you what a wonderful experience it was for us. It was almost magical. To be that close to cougars, lions, tigers, leopards and bears was something I will never forget. It helped me realize how many of these exotic animals end up in the wrong hands and need our help to rehabilitate them. I plan on going back soon and bringing our daughter this time. She is now 9 so she can get in! I just know that bringing her will help to continue the cycle of educating the public on these beautiful animals." - Carissa

"IEAS is one of my favorite places in the world. I didn't know quite what to expect when I showed up for my first tour of the sanctuary. As we started roaming past the big cats and learned about their species, I began to feel like I was really meeting the animals. They would talk to us and seemingly strut for us. One, who is very special to me, named Lexus (in the picture I have attached) shared a moment with me where we just looked at each other. It was very moving. " - moriahskies

Thank you ALL for your wonderful support.

Having wonderful people support the animals of IEAS is so incredible!

We couldn't do it without you!

Write your own review by clicking HERE!

Class Time for the Interns!

2012-01-09T07:59:00.000-08:00

With the rain keeping us inside, it was time for the Laws and Regulations class for the interns! In this class, the Animal Care interns at IEAS learn some of the basics laws and regulations that are set at city, county, and state levels for exotic animal ownership and care.

These insights into the exotic animal management standards can help interns in their future careers working with these exotic species. Understanding the reasons for such standards makes the proper care and safety of working around these animals a priority. Through this class, interns learn how IEAS has exceeded the standards set for the care of the Sanctuary's resident animals in many ways. For example, it is stated that the minimum habitat size requirement for a tiger is 800 square feet. At IEAS, the smallest habitat we have for a tiger is approximately 3,000 square feet.

This is one of the many classes that IEAS interns have the opportunity to take part in. Other classes include Firearms Safety and Grant/Proposal Writing.

Check out more about our Intern Program HERE!

Round ONE! Christmas Tree Enrichment!

2012-01-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

After the Grizzly bears had their fill of Christmas tree branches to use for denning materials, it was time for some of the big cats here at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary to enjoy some romping time with the seasonal enrichment items! For some of the cats, like Danvir and Sajani, this would be the first time they received the Christmas trees as enrichment, so we were very eager and excited to see what they would do! It is safe to say we were NOT disappointed by any of the cats - first time or not!

Noel was the first to receive his tree. We were very anxious to see his response, as last year, he absolutely LOVED it! As soon as Noel got to his tree, it was love. He rubbed and rubbed, laid on it, carried it around, and kept it close by the entire day! We loved seeing this big guy turn into a furry ball of mush all for the piney smell of his new enrichment item!

Danvir and Sajani, his neighbors, both enjoyed their first romp with the Christmas trees. Unsure at first, they both approached slowly, but, like Noel, they decided that rubbing all over the trees was the best thing! You can bet with as much rubbing as these two tigers did, they were smelling pretty and piney fresh!

Next came Makeen and Nayakahn, who both had pretty different reactions to the trees! Makeen, who prefers his enrichment enjoyed in private, picked it right up, ran, and took a dive straight into his house, tree in mouth! There he stayed, destroyed the holiday tree! Nayakahn, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure about his tree, circling it, giving it a few sniffs and pokes with his paw, before deciding "Hey! This might be fun!" Then, he took one chomp and when the prickly pine needles touched his tongue, Naya decided he had met his match. He laid down staring at the tree for a few minutes before deciding to come back later with a sneak attack when the tree might not be expecting him!

A few more trees to Zippy, Duke, Khera, Allie and Rasul, and we were having as much fun as the cats were! Rasul was one of the most excited. He ran straight to the trees and pounced. He picked the tree up, threw it around, and ran around his habitat shaking the tree all over! He couldn't get enough with just one tree, so he went and grabbed his sister, Allie's tree and had some fun with that one, too!

Kim, Karen, and Lexus came next. This little group is always fun with Christmas trees! Kim and Karen acted just like Rasul, sprinting around and pulled the needles and branches off little by little. They even took the time to find tiny little branches that had fallen off and destroyed those too! We found little green needs all over the habitat, including plenty in their pool and waters later that day! It seemed they had even more fun when we weren't looking!

Stay posted for more updates on how

the cats and bears here at IEAS loved

the Christmas trees you all donated!

THANK YOU to everyone who helped

make this enrichment possible!

You guys are wonderful!

Christmas Tree Fun BEGINS!

2012-01-03T13:11:00.000-08:00

We got our pile of Christmas trees - over 30 were donated, SO great! - and we are ready for the fun to begin! The first round went to some sleepy Grizzly bears, who were all tucked in their cave. We cut some big, comfy branches from the bottoms of the trees that would be perfect for a bear bed! As soon as they heard the branches rustling, they came rolling out, one by one, to investigate.

Almost immediately, Papa Bear started pulling the branches in. He knew exactly what they were for. His three siblings followed his lead and started to drag the branches in, pushing them with the paws or with their teeth! Soon enough, all we could see was a pile of bears and branches! That'll keep them even more toasty warm than they were before!

Thanks to everyone who donated!

THAT could be your tree up there!

Look how happy you made them!

Bundled Up Bears!

2012-01-01T07:08:00.000-08:00

As you might guess, because of the cooler winter temperatures, the IEAS bears have gone into their sleepy mode! The grizzly bears, who sleep considerably more than their Black bear friends, have been bundled up together in one of their caves. In total, it is about 2,000 POUNDS of grizzly bear snuggled up warm in a hay filled cave! That's a whole lot of furry body heat and you can bet it's pretty warm in their! When they do poke their heads out, we see a lot of "bed head!" They waddle, half asleep, to their water trough for a drink, then sit down, look around, and wander back in to continue their long nap! It's so great to see the bears acting just as they would in the wild, but we miss seeing these playful bears every day!

The black bears, on the other hand, have been pretty active with the fluctuating temperatures. They have been piling as much hay as they possibly can into their caves, and they have some pretty great little beds made inside each one. They almost look like big bird's nests - a big hay bowl that is just right for a big old black bear to snuggle up in!

What are they doing right now?!

2011-12-29T12:51:00.001-08:00

Ever wondered what the feline residents of IEAS do all day? Well, take a look at your house cat. Is he/she sleeping? Then, it's doing the same thing that the big cats at IEAS do most of the day!

Just like domestic cats, exotic cats sleep up to 18 hours in a day! It must be nice to be able to be that lazy! With all that sleep, you can bet that their waking hours are HIGH ENERGY! When the big cats at the Sanctuary aren't snoozing, they do a whole lot of playing, pouncing, rolling, swimming, running, and jumping!

Even still, we do see them "catching some z's" most often, especially in the daytime!

Here is a look at what some of the cats are doing right NOW!

These pictures were all taken in the last hour!

Khera... ROLLING!

Shauna... LOUNGING!

Thor...CLIMBING!

Danvir...SNOOZING!

Come see what they do first hand!

Tours every day at 11 AM (and Saturdays at 3 PM)!

Christmas Isn't Over Yet!

2011-12-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

That's right! It's still Christmas here at IEAS as we collect as many leftover Christmas trees as we can! These trees, though usually picked to decorate homes, will serve a purpose a little different than most might expect.

In the next few weeks, IEAS staff will be providing these Christmas trees as enrichment for feline and bear residents of the Sanctuary. If their reactions are anything like last year's, we are all in for some excellent entertainment. The biggest cats love to pounce, throw, and destroy these prickly toys, while the smaller cats tend to see these trees as a big, delicious smelling brush that they can rub all over! The bears, on the other hand, prefer to use these piney limbs as bedding in their caves. It's a great something extra to keep them super warm and cozy!

We are particularly excited to see how the IEAS residents who arrived in the past year will react to what will be a first time experience for them! Keep an eye out for pictures and videos of Thor, the newest IEAS cougar, and all of his friends playing with their Christmas trees!

Most importantly, DONATE YOUR TREE!

You can help insure that each resident receive a toy to play with this Christmas! Your tree completed your holiday, now you can complete the animals' holiday!

The Cold Won't Stop Us!

2011-12-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

The past few days at IEAS have been... well, CHILLY! We've even had the added pleasure of WIND to make being outside even more fun! Even still, we have been getting a whole lot of work done! A little bit of cold won't stop IEAS staff from venturing out and taking care of business. The animals, on the other hand, have been happily watching staff and interns from the luxury and comfort of the warm, insulated houses!

In the past few days, IEAS staff and interns have finished building the second of two bear caves, begun mortaring a waterfall, and renovated several habitats, all while maintaining feeding, pick-up, and house cleaning schedules! The interns have been learning a number of new skills and they all seem eager and happy to take in the new information!

Thor Made the Big Move Today!

2011-12-21T11:40:00.000-08:00

It didn't take long for us to prepare Thor's new habitat for him. We realized that Thor was ready for his new habitat, and today, transported him to his new home!

He was very nervous to be in his transport cage, as expected, but he really handled the move like a tough little cougar! He was very brave and calm, watching everything he passed by on his way to his habitat. It was clear that his caretakers being present was a comfort to Thor, as he would become visibly more calm and comfortable when he heard their voices. This was evidence to us that that hours of Emotional Enrichment with Thor were definitely paying off!

When he arrived at his new habitat, the transport cage was opened. We expected Thor to go immediately into his new house, which is the most common first "comfort" spot of animals in their new habitats. However, Thor showed us again how brave he was by slowly exiting the cage and then moving along his habitat, sniffing around and taking in his surroundings for a minute. Then, he found a comfortable spot behind his water trough to settle down and relax. He laid down there and that is where left him to explore!

He was even checked out by his neighbor, another cougar named Duchess! He will be making friends in no time!

We will definitely keep you all updated on how Thor does in his new habitat. After some time alone to settle in, Thor will be visited by his caretakers again to continue to use Emotional Enrichment to make Thor as comfortable, secure, and happy as possible! He has a new, natural habitat full of trees, grass, perches, toys, and even a pool! He will be a very happy, growing cougar cub!

Stay tuned! TOMORROW, we will post a video of Thor's first moments in his new home!

Planning Thor's Big Move!

2011-12-19T04:52:00.000-08:00

It's almost that time! In the very near future, Thor, the newest and youngest resident of the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary, will make the big move from his temporary quarantine habitat to his permanent home! Thor will be living in a spacious, natural habitat, full of trees for climbing, perches to lounge on, toys to play with, and even a pool!

This little cougar cub will even have another cougar as a neighbor! Duchess, who arrived at IEAS in March, is living in the habitat right next to Thor's. On his other side, Thor will be able to watch two servals, Luna and Raja, and can even catch a glimpse of Allie and Rasul, two white Bengal tigers!

We are very excited for him to start his life in his new habitat. He is a growing boy and will love the space this home will provide for him. We've been preparing new toys like a mini fire hose ball (about 5" across instead of the usual 12"+) until he has grown enough for a big one, and prepping his habitat for it's new, rambunctious resident!

Keep an eye out for pictures and videos of Thor in his new habitat - they will be coming soon!

Last Week of Training for New Interns!

2011-12-16T04:44:00.000-08:00

Kevin and Whitney are two weeks into their three week training session here at IEAS. They have one more section to spend a week in and then they will be all set! Once they are done training in Upper, Middle, and Lower, the three areas that the Sanctuary is divided into, they will switch sections daily, working alongside other interns and IEAS keepers to help clean and maintain habitats, houses, and animal welfare and safety!

Kevin finishing up providing Akbar, Arusha, and Kumar with fresh water!

The Animal Care internship at IEAS can be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences in an future animal care professional's life. As evident in our Intern Testimonials, individuals are able to walk away from the Sanctuary after their internship with a solid foundation of the most important knowledge, ideas, skills, and mindset necessary to a successful professional in the animal world.

Safety is of the upmost importance at IEAS and nothing is stressed more. When working around more than 60 dangerous and potentially deadly animals, there is nothing that is a higher priority. At the Sanctuary, interns learn the importance of focus, teamwork, and thoroughness. Every lock is double checked, cats are repeatedly located and diligently observed, and awareness is always at it's highest possible level. Interns are taught that one can never be complacent and never rely on the routine. Working with this many dangerous animals, you must be able to truly work WITH them. You must always be able to adapt to their needs, as at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary, the happiness, security, and comfort of each and every animal is never sacrificed to get a job done. Using their ever-improving observation skills and increasing knowledge of animal behavior and emotion, interns learn to work with the cats and bears, on the terms of the animal, with a relationship of mutual trust and comfort!

Whitney helping to mix mortar for a bear cave!

There is a huge amount of information to teach each intern that passes through IEAS. It is an especially large amount when you consider the short time of three or six months that the individual is at the Sanctuary. Even still, IEAS will continue to strive to teach interns as much as possible during their stay!

Check out more information on our Intern Program!

Building Bear Caves!

2011-12-13T07:17:00.000-08:00

For the past week, IEAS staff and interns have been working hard to build two new caves for the American black bears living in Bear Orphanage. The bears in this five acre natural habitat already have a two caves and several dens that they dug on their own, but we think they could use a few more!

The process of building these caves was stacking cinderblocks, filling them with cement, mortaring the inside and outside to seal out cold air, then filling them with nice warm hay to keep them toasty in the winter time! One cave has just been finished, filled with hay, and Lucky and Lucy have started to explore! They were poking into the cave, sniffing around, and admiring our handy work. We are sure that soon enough we will find the bears taking turns in the new caves, sleeping away the cold weather!

The interns had one of their first insights into working with cement and mortar and even learned some tricks and tools that could help them in their future careers in the animal world. They were all eager to learn and we're glad they could take part in the project. It is always rewarding to see an animal happy and content because of the work you did! It certainly makes every job well worth the effort!

Visitors from Fort Worth Nature Center!

2011-12-09T11:42:00.000-08:00

We were very happy to have visiting staff from the Fort Worth Nature Center, home to an ex-pet, declawed bobcat that could not be released back into the wild. The group came to IEAS for some information and ideas about bobcat care! We were more than willing to show them around, introduce them to the IEAS animals, and help them with taking care of their bobcat resident!

The Nature Center staff left IEAS with new enrichment ideas and habitat plans. Plus, we were even able to direct them as to how to use IEAS' unique Emotional Enrichment program to form a relationship of support, security, and trust between them and the bobcat. We can't wait to hear how the new ideas and the Emotional Enrichment helps this little feline and the staff.

Check out the IEAS bobcats - they are the smallest residents of the Sanctuary and some of the best climbers for sure. Click here to see their adorable, furry faces!

Animal Emotions!

2011-12-08T12:39:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in animal emotions? The study of animal behavior and it's relation to animal emotions is becoming more and more popular all the time! It can be an absolutely fascinating subject, especially for animal lovers like you! You don't have to be a scientist to learn about it, all you need to have is the interest!

There are a few great ways to learn about animal emotions. The first is simply by surrounding yourself with animals! You can learn so much about the behaviors and feelings of animals just by observing and interacting with them.

Another way is to read up! We've got a great place for you to start your readings... The Emotional Lives of Animals by Marc Bekoff is truly a special book, full of real life accounts of animal emotions, both happy and sad. The book is absolutely fascinating, very entertaining, and full of great evidence of animal emotion and feeling that is very much like ours. We recommend it to all that are interested in opening their minds to learning about animal emotion and behavior!

Click HERE to purchase this book through YellowBrickMall

(find Amazon under the "Books" brick)

and they will donate a percentage of what you spend to IEAS!

Finally, ASK QUESTIONS! IEAS Animal Behaviorist, Louis Dorfman, can be a great resource for your animal emotion and behavior questions. Send us a message and we'll get right back to you with Louis' reply. Louis has written a number of articles and papers on his experiences, all of which can be found on the IEAS website, www.bigcat.org. Check them out here!

The First Snow of the Season!

2011-12-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

We had our first snowy, white morning here at IEAS! It was a bit of a surprise to wake up to, but the cats and bears seemed well prepared, dry and comfortable in their warm, hay filled houses. Many of the felines were cuddled up together for extra warmth!

We were excited to see how Thor would react to his first experience with snow. He had never seen the fluffy, white, cold stuff before so it was very new to him! It's safe to say, he certainly didn't LOVE it. First thing in the morning, we found Thor relaxing in the warm and dry inside section of his quarantine habitat. After his breakfast, he wandered over to his doorway, sniffed the snow, even licked it a little, but decided against getting his paws wet and cold! Most of the morning, he sat right in his doorway, looking at the white ground, seeming to be just waiting for it all to melt away. As soon as the snow disappeared, he was out and about, playing with his toys and relaxing on his perch. At least he doesn't mind cool weather at all!

We are excited to see if Thor ever warms up to the idea of playing the snow. Many of the other Sanctuary cats love to romp and play in it! Scoundrel, the newest bear cub resident of IEAS and Thor's current neighbor, was much more willing to be out enjoying the precipitation. Maybe Thor will take a hint from Scoundrel and adventure out to play!

Rain, rain, go away!

2011-12-04T09:57:00.000-08:00

Rainy days usually find most of the Sanctuary's residents warm and dry in their houses. However, there are always a few cats who decide that the rain and mud make the perfect setting for romping, rolling, and playing!

Right now, even with the cold and rain we've been having for the past few days, Kashmere, Big John, Arusha, and several other animals are out and about! Seeing these guys enjoying the cooler, wetter weather, we couldn't help but be reminded of one of our favorite video clips of Arusha, a female white Bengal tiger, enjoying the mud more than most...

Check it out!

Even with the rain, we've had tours, volunteers,

and we've gotten plenty done!

Don't let a little water stop you from

coming out to visit the animals!

Spread the Word!

2011-12-02T12:55:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Thanks for checking back to the IEAS Blog for updates!

This is a great way to keep yourself up to date on what's going on here at the Sanctuary.

Another wonderful way to be involved, as many of you know, is our Facebook page!

Click HERE to go to our page!

Facebook allows us to post pictures, videos, stories, and so much more. It helps us to reach out to everyone around the world who is interested in and supports the animals at IEAS. From visiting our Facebook page to learn about contests and other ways to help, you have all come through in the past and rallied together to give the animals who call IEAS home a better life. With so much competition for resources, it is often difficult for IEAS to compete in voting contests and we can't thank those of you who have voted in the past enough. Taking the time out of your day to think about the Sanctuary animals is truly generous and wonderful.

We would like to extend a thank you and one more request - spread the word! By inviting your friends, asking for their help, and showing them what IEAS is all about, we can gain even more Facebook fans. It seems silly to think that the number of Facebook fans we have could affect us that much, but with that much more support and better chances of winning voting contests, reaching out to people who want to help IEAS, and raising awareness of conservation for these wonderful animals! Plus, who doesn't want to see beautiful faces like this when they log onto Facebook every day!?

So, please!

Spread the word!

Just a few clicks and chats

with friends could rally so

much more support for

the animals of IEAS!

Thank you all for your support in the past, present and future!

Updates on the Two New Cubs!

2011-11-29T07:16:00.000-08:00

We've had a few posts about how Thor and Scoundrel are doing here at IEAS, but we wanted to give you all a thorough update! Both of these two cubs have made huge leaps and bounds in the past few weeks.

When Thor first arrived, he was very nervous and very unsure of the intentions of his human caretakers. Now, a little over a month later, Thor is a confident and brave little cougar! Though he is certainly still a cub, with traces of his baby spots still visible, Thor has more than doubled in size since his arrival! He spends the majority of his time in the outdoor portion of his habitat at quarantine and loves to watch us all working. He has even come to really enjoy visits from those caretakers he trusts!

Scoundrel took a little longer to warm up to us initially but has come such a long way. We have found out so much about his personality, his likes (grapes) and dislikes (oranges), and because he has been spending so much extra time outside of his house lately, we have really gotten to see what an adorable little bear he is! He, like Thor, is gaining so much confidence and will even approach a visitor to say hello!

We are so glad to have these two handsome boys living at IEAS and we are so happy that they have come such a long way! We are excited to see them grow up at the Sanctuary!

If you would like to help support Thor and Scoundrel, visit our DONATE page!

You can also ADOPT Thor or Scoundrel and visit them when they move to their permanent habitats!

Getting Ready for New Interns!

2011-11-27T10:14:00.000-08:00

We can't believe it but it's that time again! In just a few days, two more interns will be arriving at IEAS, ready to learn! Kevin and Whitney will be the only two additions to the IEAS interns, as the six interns from fall session (Betsy, Amber, Tara, Jennifer, Megan, and Alex) will ALL be staying to learn even more! During their second session, they will have the opportunity to learn more "keeper" aspects of animal care, and they all seem excited to start!

Winter session is always a challenging session for interns, as the cold makes a great deal of our

daily tasks significantly more difficult. Instead of just cleaning and filling waters, an extra step of breaking the ice that may have formed on the water is necessary during the coldest parts of winter. This can be a very strenuous task when it's cold enough! Then, if the houses are too frozen to work, water has to be transported from the Nutrition Center in buckets to each water trough at

every habitat. Also, morning feeding can be more challenging if snow stops us from using the vehicles that transport the food the animals. Instead, we walk the food from the Nutrition Center, one stack at a time! Once at the houses, locks usually need to be torched, as many of them freeze shut overnight. It slows us down a bit but the extra steps are well worth it when we see all of the animals full, warm, and happy in their cozy hay-filled houses after breakfast!

Well, we hope that doesn't scare any new interns too much! Like we said, every bit of work done at IEAS is well worth the effort when we see how it benefits the animals! We're excited for the new interns to arrive and we'll keep you all posted on their progress! We hope you will all be a part of welcoming Kevin and Whitney to the IEAS team!

What We Are Thankful For

2011-11-23T07:27:00.000-08:00

We are thankful to have the ability

to provide a true sanctuary for animals

that need a safe, caring home.

We are thankful that every day,

with your help, we gain more and

more support worldwide.

We are thankful that we have the chance

to teach people about the worth and

importance of the amazing beings living at the Sanctuary

and the protection of their wild cousins.

We are thankful for the dedicated volunteers

who visit the Sanctuary to sacrifice their

time and hard work to making the lives

of the resident animals even better.

We are thankful to have so many amazing

supporters that make everything we do possible

with unwavering support and generous donations.

We are thankful to have the opportunity to

know and love the amazing animals that call IEAS home.

They change our lives as much as we hope to change theirs.

Happy Thanksgiving

Black Friday Deals at IEAS!

2011-11-22T04:45:00.000-08:00

Looking for a Black Friday without all the crowds and chaos? Visit IEAS or www.bigcat.org to get some WILD presents for the ones you love! By purchasing a gift from IEAS, you will help ensure that the animals who get a second chance at life at the Sanctuary, have a wonderful Christmas too! On Black Friday ONLY we will be having a few special deals on some of our best gift ideas…

If you would like to adopt a feline or bear for yourself or a loved one for 6 months, you’ll only pay for 5! You get the 6^th month free! For more about animal adoptions, visit http://www.bigcat.org/Adopt-An-Animal

Also, our Friend of a Feline and Buddy of a Bear packets have been a big hit so far! These packets give you or your gift recipient the chance to have a one on one visit with one of the Sanctuary residents (from outside the fence, of course). With the purchase of one of these packets, in addition to the 8 x 10 photo, animal story, certificate, and free visit pass, you will receive one free pass to tour the entire Sanctuary!

And REMEMBER, these deals are on Black Friday ONLY!

Hope you can all be a part of it!

AZA Certification!

2011-11-20T07:55:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary is one of the few sanctuaries in the country that is certified by the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums)?! As a "Related Facility," not a zoo or an aquarium, IEAS had to meet the strict standards of the AZA to be certified. This was a major goal of IEAS Director Richard Gilbreth when he first took the reigns in directing the Sanctuary. It took a lot of hard work, but he made it happen! The Sanctuary has been AZA certified for almost 10 years.

"Only the very best zoos and aquariums can meet tough Association of Zoos and Aquariums standards," said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. "The leadership and staff of the International Exotic Feline [Animal] Sanctuary are to be congratulated for the hard work and commitment that they put into the process to become certified."

To be certified as a related facility, the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary underwent a thorough investigation to ensure it has and will continue to meet ever-rising standards which include animal care, veterinary programs, conservation, and safety. AZA requires zoos, aquariums, and related facilities to successfully complete this rigorous process in order to be members of the association and are required to resubmit to this process every five years.

"Not only does International Exotic Feline [Animal] Sanctuary meet or exceed AZA's high standards, but it provides every visitor with a chance to connect to global wildlife conservation," Maddy added. "Related facility members share the same strong commitment to animal care, professionalism, ethics, and conservation that AZA accredited institutions hold. In turn, they enrich the lives of their communities by developing significant wildlife conservation programs."

IEAS is so proud to be a part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and will always continue to meet the high standards that the AZA sets. We look forward to our future with the AZA and other facilities that are both certified and accredited by the association!

Pumpkin Time!

2011-11-20T07:43:00.000-08:00

Fall means that pumpkin season is here! Those same orange pumpkins that you decorate with on Halloween serve an entirely different purpose once the holiday is over! If they are lucky enough to make their way to the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary, they become enrichment for some of the most amazing and magnificent animals you could ever see!

This year, we were lucky enough to receive more pumpkins than ever

before and just a few days ago, we begun handing out the pumpkins to some very eager cats and bears. The bears use those amazing noses to smell what’s inside and as soon as they do, it’s time to tear them open. Claws and teeth work together to get to the juicy insides of the big pumpkins!

The Grizzly bears have been particularly fond of the pumpkins, each enjoying a daily pumpkin to devour. It is always the first thing they go to when they are fed in the morning! The American black bears

living at IEAS also got their first round of pumpkins this year. They dug in faster than even we thought they would! It only took a few seconds for their strong claws to take a chunk of pumpkin off. Then it was “noses in!” They each stuck their snouts straight in and enjoyed a gooey feast! Scamp, in particular, enjoyed the pumpkins. He couldn’t decide which one he liked the best, switching between all three of the pumpkins provided to him, Scooter, and Greta. He even laid on the ground with all of two of them on his belly, trying to decide which one was best!

The first cats to get their pumpkins did not disappoint! We were very excited about giving Danvir and Sajani their first pumpkins ever at IEAS. Danvir took a few minutes to warm up to the idea but Sajani dove right in! That pumpkin never stood a chance. It was thrown up in the air, chewed to bits, and smashed all around until all that was left was specks of orange all over the habitat! And all that took about 45 seconds! Isabella enjoyed her pumpkin just as much. She picked it right up and marched straight to the pool where she hopped in and attempted to drown her new toy. It was almost like she was bobbing for pumpkins! She had a great time splashing around with the enrichment and there wasn’t much left of that pumpkin the next day. While many of them don’t mind onlookers during their pumpkin romps, there are a few cats that would rather devour their prey in private. Barnum grabbed his huge pumpkin and ran right to his house, where we found a pile of orange in the morning!

We are so excited that so many of the IEAS animals loved their enrichment items. These pumpkins provide the felines perfect behavioral enrichment, allowing the cats to pounce, play, hunt, and sink their teeth into something fun! The bears get to mimic their habits that would take place in wild environments, finding food and digging in, making the pumpkins perfect environmental enrichment for them! Keep an eye out for videos throughout the week!

We want to send a HUGE thanks to RAINBOW PLANT SALES in Saginaw, Texas for donating all of their leftover pumpkins to IEAS and to everyone who donated their leftover pumpkins from home! You provided every animal at IEAS with an exciting, joyful, and truly happy time! They loved the pumpkins and we can’t tell you how much we appreciate your support!

One Year Ago!

2011-11-15T08:07:00.001-08:00

A year ago today, IEAS staff and resident bears were in the process of a few big moves! It was at this time in 2010 that Pixie, Rowdy, and Rascal made the trek to the "adult" side of the 10 acre Bear Orphanage. Here they joined Dakar, Meyote, Lucky and Lucy. They've come so far since that day. Lucky has truly bonded with every other bear in the Orphanage and in truth, all of the bears get along amazingly well!

The second big move going on one year ago was Scooter and Greta letting go of their quarantine habitat to join Scamp on their five acre side of Bear Orphanage. Talk about bears getting along amazingly! These three are inseparable. You would be hard pressed to find a happier bear trio than this set of American black bears living at IEAS. With such distinct personalities, Scooter, Greta, and Scamp fit each other perfectly!

An aerial view of the ten acre Bear Orphanage! Thanks Google Maps!

It's so great for us to see how far these special animals can come in just one year. Soon enough, Scoundrel will join the group in Bear Orphanage and we look so forward to seeing his progress in one year, seeing how far he has already come!

Signs of Winter at IEAS

2011-11-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

Well, one of our biggest signs of winter has started to show itself here at IEAS. The American black bears and Grizzly bears who call IEAS home have begun showing us that it's almost "hibernation time." All of the bears are slowing down significantly in terms of their eating habits and activity levels. They still enjoy a breezy day on their perches or in their trees, but playtime has gotten shorter and shorter.

In the mornings, the Grizzly bears are very hesitant to be woken up - especially Wendy! It always takes them a few minutes to open their eyes, stretch their legs, and come over for breakfast. Sometimes, when they are much to content sleeping to be roused, they are given some extra time for beauty sleep, and when they are ready, we feed them and pick up their habitat! Last winter, the Grizzlies slept for about a month and half, so we are interested to see them all pile into one of their several caves and cuddle up for the long sleep!

The black bears, similarly, have been eating much less and much less eagerly! We see them all in caves and brush piles, napping the day away most often. Even the three most playful and rambunctious of the black bears, Scooter, Scamp, and Greta, play less than usual, but I don't think any winter will ever take the play completely out of them!

Now, bears are not true hibernators. They sleep for a significant amount of time during the winter and slow down quite a bit, but they will wake up occasionally during what appears to be their hibernation period. The bears at IEAS, especially black bears, are awake more often than their wild cousins would be as their true reason for "hibernating" is lack of food. Because we will continue to present them with food, they will continue to wake up, so you will likely still see them wandering on tours!

Be sure to make a trip out to IEAS before it gets too cold!

Scoundrel is Making Big Strides!

2011-11-08T11:27:00.000-08:00

The newest black bear resident at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary, Scoundrel, has been making big strides in his comfort levels. Over the past few days, Scoundrel has been out of his house exploring his habitat more than ever. He climbs his big branches, relaxes on his perches, and even has a new favorite food - grapes! He will fit in very well with all of the other IEAS bears, who seem to tell us that grapes are a favorite amongst most all bears!

It addition to feeling more comfortable with his surroundings, Scoundrel is feeling much more confident around his caretakers. Now, when this little bear gets fed, he almost immediately approaches the bowl

s. He has even allowed several of the staff to sit just a few feet away while he rummaged through the bowl for grapes, then fig newtons!

We are very happy to see this little bear settling in. Every day we see less nervousness and more personality! He is proving to be a very adventurous and active bear and we can't wait until he meets his friends and roommates in Bear Orphanage! Scooter, Greta, and Scamp will be more than happy to have another playmate!

Look Who Is Outside! And Getting BIG!

2011-11-07T08:12:00.000-08:00

Our little man is growing up so fast! Thor, the cougar cub who arrived at IEAS about three weeks ago has already gotten so much bigger! We decided he was finally big enough that he could go outside and enjoy the outdoor portion of his quarantine habitat. As you would imagine, he loves it out there! He has been climbing up on to his new favorite perch, watching us work and learning what all of the new sights and sounds around him are.

We are definitely in love with this face!

We can't believe how much bigger and braver this little guy is getting. He's growing up and settling in! We can't wait to continue to watch him grow and we hope you will too!

A Foxy Friend for the Black Bears!

2011-11-01T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well, we have a new resident in Bear Orphanage, but not an intentional one! We always tell people how natural a habitat the Orphanage is for the bears of IEAS. So natural, in fact, that small wild animals wander in and out of the 10 acre enclosure through the fences. Recently, a fox has taken up residence in, of all places, a TREE in Bear Orphanage. At first, we were under the impression that the little guy was stuck in the tree, but after managing to get him down, we found him perched up in the branches again! He seems to come and go as he pleases.

The arrival of this little resident

just confirms to us that

Bear Orphanage can help

make our bears live

as they would in the wild,

because wild animals feel that way!

Trailer O' Pumpkins!

2011-10-30T11:14:00.000-07:00

And it begins! We picked up a big trailer and two truck beds full of leftover pumpkins today from Rainbow Plant Sales in Saginaw, TX. Don't worry, they're not going to waste! These promise to be some of the best used pumpkins ever. Get excited! We certainly are!!

The next week or so should be full of pictures and videos of pumpkins being tossed around, torn apart, and eaten up, so stay tuned!

THANK YOU SO MUCH

RAINBOW PLANT SALES

for thinking of IEAS with

your leftover pumpkins!

You have some very

grateful cats and bears!

A Field Trip for the Interns!

2011-10-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

Last night, a few of our interns made a trip out to the Frank Buck Zoo (FBZ), in Gainesville, TX, to help out at their Zoo Boo! The FBZ keepers are members of the Red River Chapter of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, alongside the Sanctuary's keepers, so IEAS likes to support them in any way we can!

Betsy, Jennifer, Megan, and Amber, all dressed up in Halloween costumes, and drove to the zoo where they helped hand out candy and answered questions about the zoo and animals from the curious kids who were having a blast at the zoo.

The interns had a great time

as well and we were glad they

got to be a part of the FBZ's event!

One of the MANY things that make it all worth it!

2011-10-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

We wanted to share with you all one of the MANY things that make our job 100% worth all of the time, hard work, and effort. After a school presentation about the Sanctuary, we received these notes, among many others from the students:

It's little things like this that mean the world to us! Our Education Program was designed and created with the hopes of teaching children (and adults alike) about how important these and all other animals are. Knowing that we helped these students is so amazing!

While we do often give presentations at schools, you, your kids, grandkids, and friends, can learn and experience even more at the Sanctuary! On tours, seeing these animals first hand can be a truly life changing experience, so plan your visit. You won't regret it!

Baby & Cookie Get a New Toy!

2011-10-24T04:42:00.000-07:00

Baby and Cookie got a new toy! Well, it's more of a place to lounge for them than a toy! Nevertheless, Baby and Cookie got a one of the same wooden spools that we have given to Titan and the Grizzly bears, just a smaller version! They didn't do much at first. In fact, Baby didn't even come over to investigate right away, but Cookie was very quick to decide it was hers. She sniffed it, she marked it, and that was that!

It was confirmed that both she and Baby enjoyed the new perch, as we spotted them lounging on it on separate occasions that afternoon!

FINALLY Photos of the 2 New Cubs!

2011-10-23T04:59:00.000-07:00

Well, here they are!

Introducing the two

newest residents of IEAS!

The cougar cub has been settling in so well! He's very young and was very nervous upon his arrival. Using our Emotional Enrichment Program, staff members have been spending time with this little guy and he has come trust us so much more already! It will be some time before he is 100% comfortable but he is making huge strides. He eats, falls asleep, and

plays while we are there - all signs of comfort and trust! Speaking of eating, this little boy has quite the appetite and really enjoys his meals. He has been playing in his water, all over his hay, and with all of his new toys! Stay tuned for some more pictures (and hopefully videos)!

The bear cub is a bit more shy than

his cougar friend. He has been spending a lot of time in his hay filled house, relaxing and sleeping, but he definitely enjoys his toys and his habitat! He has been having lots of fun in his tubs and water troughs, sitting and splashing around in the cool water. He's been loving the fresh produce and peanuts that we've been feeding him - we keep finding his bowl completely empty and him ready for more! Once he is more comfortable with us, we will definitely have more photos and videos for all of you to enjoy!

STAY TUNED FOR UPDATES ON THESE ADORABLE CUBS!

The Transition into Fall!

2011-10-07T10:03:00.000-07:00

Well, we can tell fall is coming! The leaves are falling and the pools are needing a good skimming all the time! The weather is certainly keeping us on our toes these past few weeks as the seasons change. We've been spotted layering up in the mornings but still sporting our tank tops and shorts in the hot afternoons. The cats and bears are ready for the cooler weather, as they are fully embracing any opportunities to be lounging on their favorite perches in the sun, with the cool breeze keeping them comfortable.

Many of our previous tour-goers can tell you that fall is a PERFECT time to come out and visit the IEAS animals. With the more manageable temperatures, the activity levels certainly increase! Now, that's not to say that some of the felines may be snoozing when your tour goes by (they do sleep up to 18 hours a day afterall - that's a lot of sleeping to squeeze in to one day!), but fall tours often find the big cats up and about, eager for a visit with friendly faces, and chuffing up a storm to say hi!

If you've been thinking about heading out for a tour, now is the time! Tours are offered every day at 11:00 AM and Saturdays at 3:00 PM also!

See you soon!

EXCLUSIVE Chance to win $10,000!

2011-09-28T09:59:00.000-07:00

Calling ALL Friends and Supporters of IEAS:

The first two weeks of October are going to be very important ones for us here at the Sanctuary!

Because we support Albertsons through their Community Partners program, we have an exclusive chance to earn a grant worth $10,000!

PLEASE help the animals of the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary!

HERE'S HOW:

1. Go to albertsonscpchallenge.com and login, by entering your e-mail address.

2. If this is your first time to the site, you will be taken to the e-mail verification page.

3. Once your e-mail is verified, you can login and vote using just your e-mail.

4. Enter CHARITY CODE #0194 in the upper left hand corner, then click GO.

5. When you see our entry, click on VOTE!

You can vote up to FIVE TIME PER DAY from October 1st through October 15th!

Don't worry - we'll send reminders ;)

Please SPREAD THE WORD to your family, friends, and co-workers!

THANKS so much - we hope the cats and bears here at IEAS can rely on your help!

New Houses and Pools!

2011-09-18T07:14:00.000-07:00

You would be hard pressed to find a time in the past few months when Roy, our Maintenance Supervisor, and Richard, Director, haven't been welding, cutting, attaching, fixing, and rebuilding twenty year old houses for the feline residents of IEAS alongside dedicated volunteers and community service individuals. The new houses will have improved safety features for both the protection of the cats, and the safety of the staff. Khera's has just been finished, Kimberly's is in the works, and we have three more lined up! It is our HOPE that soon, Karen, and our new tigers, Danvir and Sajani, will have spacious and comfortable new houses to relax in! We are also hoping to enlarge Danvir and Sajani's pool, so they can comfortably enjoy it together. To change these hopes into reality, we need your help!

These three houses and one pool will cost us about $10,000 in materials total. Luckily, we have some great volunteers who have promised to help us build the houses so the labor will be free, though we may reward them with some donuts in the mornings! A big thanks to Billy, George, and Matt for their assistance in helping to build the last few houses! We also want to thank the community service department in Decatur, TX for allowing individuals to complete their community service hours by working them off at IEAS. In the past year, over 6,000 hours of community service have been completed here, and the free labor they have done has been immensely helpful!

We will be setting up a thermometer so you can all stay updated on how close we are to reaching our goal. We understand that this letter falls on difficult times for everyone, but remember, every dollar counts! Do what you can and we can promise you that the cats whose lives YOU helped change, will be grateful for what you have given!

Click HERE to DONATE or call 940-433-5091!

Who doesn't love a WILD present!?

2011-09-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

With the holidays just a few months away, we decided to help you with your shopping! We know that many of you have come to know and love the animals here at IEAS. Whether it be through your visits to the Sanctuary or by reading about them on the website, you have come to care for these magnificent animals. Why not take this opportunity to receive a spectacular, black and white drawing of your favorite animal. Nissa Marione, the Education Coordinator at IEAS, is probably the most talented artist we have ever had come through our intern program. Nissa would like to donate her time and talents to provide you with an amazing 8x10 drawing of your favorite animal. To our many adoptive parents, this is a wonderful opportunity to receive a unique drawing of your adopted animal! All proceeds will go strictly to the Intern Program here at the Sanctuary. Check out the photo and illustration below to see just how talented Nissa is!

Nissa Marione completed our Intern Program during the summer of 2010. Her hard work, determination and love for these animals earned her a full time position at the Sanctuary. Nissa has become part of the IEAS Staff and is the Education Coordinator responsible for giving School Presentations and guided tours.

Nissa would like to ask for a donation of $200 for each portrait and $250 for each full body sketch she does. If you are interested in this special opportunity, please contact our office at 940-433-5091 or you can email us at richard@bigcat.org. Don't let this unique chance pass you by! Call today and order your perfect holiday gift!

ANOTHER GREAT IDEA!

Is that a little outside your budget? How bout this - make your friend or family member the "Friend of a Feline" or "Buddy of a Bear" by purchasing a $40 gift packet from the IEAS gift store! This packet gives your gift recipient an 8 x 10 photo of their favorite IEAS animal, that animal's personal history, AND a FREE PASS to come to the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary and visit their new Feline Friend or Bear Buddy! This gives them the chance to spend one-on-one quality time with an EXOTIC new friend! What better gift is there!?

Don't leave the holiday shopping until the last minute!

Visit IEAS NOW to make your purchases!

(Feel free to pick something up for yourself as well!)

Watch Them Work!

2011-09-13T10:49:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures of the interns, hard at work, helping us with projects all over the Sanctuary!

AMBER - Skimming out the big pool! Fall will bring lots of leaves!

BETSY - Getting ready to scrub and sanitize!

JENNIFER - Learning how to work with mortar!

MEGAN - Cleaning out Duke's pool!

TARA - Helping rebuild a waterfall!

ALEX - Fixing some cracks that are causing a leaky pool!

Stay tuned to see what our interns are up to this session!

Garden Buckets Galore!

2011-09-13T10:30:00.000-07:00

Well, we've finally accepted that we need new garden buckets! We've been hanging on to our current six for quite some time but we have realized that the condition they are in is just too...rough. Most have either no handles or broken ones, and half have giant cracks and holes in the bottoms and sides. This makes them slightly less functional and the lack of handles DEFINITELY makes them harder to carry...

If YOU have any of these garden buckets around (that might be in better condition than our own), we'd love to take them off your hands! They would be a huge help to our staff and interns in getting our daily projects done - especially with fall arrivng, we'll have plenty of raked up leaves to fill these buckets!

THANKS!

Getting Back Into Our Routine!

2011-09-07T11:48:00.000-07:00

Well, we are finally starting to get back into our normal routines here! After a few very understaffed weeks without interns, our new fall interns are here and ready to learn!

Amber, Betsy, Alex, Megan, Jennifer, and Tara have had their first few days here at IEAS and have already taken in HUGE amounts of information. The keepers are finally getting the chance to catch everyone back up on the Blog, YouTube, and all that fun stuff. Keep an eye out for all our new posts and think good thoughts for our new interns, who will be very tired and full of information at the end of their training!

Drawing Contest!

2011-08-15T19:01:00.000-07:00

Do YOU love to draw!? Well, if you're 17 or younger, we have a contest for you! Draw, paint, sketch, doodle a picture of a big cat or bear and you could win a free tour and have a visit with your favorite Sanctuary animal! Second and third place winners will also win a prize!

This contest will take place throughout the month of September so if you'd like to submit a picture, make sure it's here by September 30!

HERE ARE THE DETAILS!

There will be THREE AGE GROUPS (with a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winner from each group)

Ages 7-10

Ages 11-14

Ages 15-18

1st Prize: An 8x10 photo, a free tour voucher (for you and your family), and a one-on-one visit with your favorite IEAS animal!

2nd Prize: An 8x10 photo and free tour voucher (for you and your family)!

3rd Prize: An 8x10 photo of your favorite animal at IEAS!

Send your finished drawing to:

International Exotic Animal Sanctuary

Attn: Drawing Contest

P.O. Box 637

Boyd, TX 76023

Or e-mail them to:

iefsedu@aol.com

(You can also drop your entries off at the IEAS gift shop if you live nearby!)

*When you send your drawing, be sure to include a note indicating your NAME, AGE, BIRTHDAY, and FAVORITE IEAS CAT or BEAR!*

Winning entries will hang in the IEAS gift shop!

SURPRISE!

2011-08-15T09:52:00.001-07:00

Meet the two newest

members of the IEAS family!

These two tigers were brought to IEAS from San Antonio, TX, after the facility they lived at was forced to close due to insufficient funds needed for caring for its residents. It is amazing how well the two Bengal tigers have settled in. The male is currently lounging in his pool, where he has been staying cool all morning! His female companion is slightly more timid. She lays near her friend, watching and taking in all of her surroundings! Less than one day into their new lives, we have already been lucky enough to get a few chuffs and visits with these two special tigers. We are so happy to be giving them a new permanent home and look forward to giving them a highest quality of life possible in captivity!

To help IEAS give these

amazing tigers a new life,

DONATE by clicking HERE!

It is supporters like YOU that help

make rescues like this possible!

Thank you all for what you do!

CHECK OUT WHAT WE GOT IN THE MAIL TODAY!

2011-08-08T11:15:00.001-07:00

So, remember our "Tours for Troops" event? We collected nine big boxes worth of goodies to send to the troops overseas, and then, we sent them on their way! It's been almost 3 weeks since we sent the care packages and check out what we got in the mail today!

We're so happy that these Rangers loved
the packages & their thanks means a lot!
THANK YOU to everyone who came &
donated goodies for the care packages!
We are so proud that all of you wanted
to help us and be a part of recognizing
the amazing troops we have over seas!

Pepsi Pepsi Pepsi!

2011-08-07T09:50:00.000-07:00

Well, another shot at the Pepsi Refresh Project left us in 56th place in our category. This may not seem too impressive, but if you recall, our first attempt landed us in 110th place. We finished SO much higher this time. We can't believe how much more support this means we got in only the course of a MONTH. It seems like many more of you wonderful people were taking a few minutes every day to think about the animals living here at IEAS and we can't thank you enough for it.

This increasing sign of care and love for these truly amazing animals means SO much. The International Exotic Animal Sanctuary couldn't give these magnificent big cats and bears a second chance at life without people like YOU! Your help truly makes what we do possible, so THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT!

MEET THE KEEPERS!

2011-07-25T04:29:00.000-07:00

Many of you have probably met a few of our interns,
whether on tours or on visits with your adopted cat or bear.
However, you may not have met our keepers!
The IEAS cats and bears have three care takers.
Meet Christi, Trish, and Nissa...

Christi Gilbreth is the Curator and Assistant Animal Behaviorist

at IEAS. Before coming to IEAS, she graduated from Texas A&M University with a BS in Wildlife Ecology and Management. After graduating, she worked at the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation center where she had previously completed a three month internship. Her education and experience at WRR helped her obtain her internship at IEAS, where, upon completion of her internship, she was asked to stay on as a keeper. Since then, she has earned her current titles.

During her time at IEAS, Christi has helped care for the resident felines and bears while instructing interns on how to care for these animals and about the daily operations. She also co-founded SWAVA, an organization designed to share information with other sanctuary workers and volunteers to help improve the lives of captive animals in sanctuaries everywhere. As Assistant Animal Behaviorist, Christi has worked alongside Louis Dorfman to help raise two cheetah cubs, five white tiger cubs, two baby bobcats, and six black bear cubs. She has learned a great deal in the past size years and continues to learn something new every day!

Trish Lang is the Lead Keeper at IEAS. She graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2004 with a BS in Animal Bioscience and a minor in Animal Science. While in school, she worked at the Pennsylvania State Deer Research Center, where she gained experience working with white-tailed deer. She also volunteered and interned at the Centre Wildlife Care. Here, she cared for orphaned and injured wildlife for the purpose of releasing them back into the wild. Trish came to IEAS as an intern in December 2004, and

shortly after completing her internship, was asked to work as a full time keeper. Working here has taught her so much about the care and management of exotic animals, as well as all of the aspects involved in running a Sanctuary. She now teaches interns about the proper care of these amazing animals. She also instructs our Grant and Proposal Writing Course in which she teaches interns about certain fundraising techniques used by nonprofit organizations. Each new day provides a new experience and opportunity to learn. Trish has discovered that surviving the animal world requires lots of hard work and dedication and with this, the rewards can be endless!

Nissa Marione is the newest Keeper at the Sanctuary and

also works as the IEAS Education Coordinator. She graduated from the University of Maine in 2010 with a BS in Biology and a minor in Psychology. While in school, Nissa completed an Animal Care Internship at the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina. The big cats at this facility helped her realize that these were the species she someday hoped to work with, and so after four long Maine winters, she headed to Texas for the IEAS Animal Care Internship. After her internship, Nissa worked as the Education Coordinator for three months, giving tours, doing community outreach, fundraising, and more. Eventually, she was asked to take on the role of keeper. Everyday, Christi, Trish, and the IEAS animals teach her more and more about what it takes to properly care for the exotic animals who have a home at the Sanctuary and she is excited to learn as much as she can from them!

Questions for our keepers?!

Feel free to post them as comments,

on our Facebook wall,

or e-mail them to iefsedu@aol.com!

YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT WAS DONATED!

2011-07-20T11:28:00.000-07:00

WOW! In a 24 hour time span, IEAS has be SO fortunate to have two AMAZING donations...

First, as keepers sat finishing morning chores, a surprise truck pulled into the IEAS driveway, hauling a Land Rover! Keon Robertson of Austin, TX, ready to get rid of her used car, decided that IEAS would be the perfect place for it! Now, the Sanctuary has a great, reliable, and very happily received vehicle that will be perfect for traveling to meetings, presentations, and public appearances as well as very useful for pick ups and transportation of some IEAS goodies! This is such an amazing show of support and WE CAN'T THANK MS. ROBERTSON ENOUGH!

THEN, yesterday afternoon, Christine Herrera, a supporter of IEAS, came driving into IEAS with a HUGE trailer full of a brand new toys for the cats and bears of the Sanctuary. 13 MASSIVE wooden spools (normally used for wrapping up big cable) are now sitting up on top of our hill, just waiting to be played with! Amazingly, Ms. Herrera loaded all of these HEAVY spools up onto her trailer - by herself! She then hauled them to IEAS where they will be more than welcome in many an animal's habitat! Soon enough, they will be clawed up, chewed on, and rolled around, providing perfect behavioral enrichment, allowing Sanctuary residents to use those instincts of hunting and pouncing, all while having some fun! THANKS MS. HERRERA!

WHAT AN AMAZING DAY & WHAT AMAZING PEOPLE!

THANK YOU BOTH!

Produce Galore!

2011-07-10T06:46:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the bears of the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary are fed almost entirely off of donated produce? We do purchase peanuts, meat, and omnivore kibble for them but the majority of their meal is given to IEAS by a few local grocery stores!

Every day, an IEAS intern hops into our little, red produce truck and makes the trip to two different Marketplaces, a Brookshire's store, and Dunn's Produce. At these four stops, we pick up several boxes, barrels, and bags of any produce that may have a little bruise or scratch - something people wouldn't want to buy but is delicious for a bear! With a truck bed full of produce coming to IEAS everyday, our bears stay full and happy!

BUT, these four stores aren't the only ones who give to IEAS. Once a week, Sanctuary Director Richard and Maintenance Supervisor Roy head out to a Walmart in Fort Worth to pick up a trailer full of goodies for our bears and cats!

We couldn't be more thankful for

what these five stores do for IEAS

and the animals living here.

To have their support means

the world and it's so

great to have this trusted,

reliable system with them!

CAN WE DO IT THIS TIME?!

2011-07-01T10:28:00.000-07:00

We've got a second chance! IEAS has gotten into the Pepsi Refresh Project challenge again! This time, we're in the running for $25,000 and we want to win it! Of course, we need YOUR help!

Voting is open NOW and will be open until July 31st!

You get five votes a day, but you can only vote for each cause ONCE A DAY!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR PEPSI PAGE AND VOTE!

There are a few WAYS TO VOTE:

You can log in to vote through your Facebook account, which makes the whole thing that much easier - no signing up, no e-mails, just voting!

You can vote from your phone by texting 107473 to Pepsi (73774)! Set a daily reminder on your phone so you remember every day!

Do you drink Pepsi products? If you do, you can help even more! Under the cap of specially labeled Pepsi products is a code that allows you to POWER VOTE! This gives you extra votes (up to 100!) so be sure to be checking for that Pepsi Refresh label and code! Click HERE for more info about Power Voting!

Remember, we need all the help

we can get so spread the word!

Share this link on your Facebook,

Twitter, with family and friends!

PLEASE think of the animals!

A few seconds a day can help them!

Imagine what $25,000 could do for IEAS!

Don't YOU want to be a part of making that happen?

TOUR for the TROOPS!

2011-06-26T04:42:00.001-07:00

Remember the care packages that IEAS is putting together?! Well, it's almost time to send them and we still need more STUFF. Since our "Water Weekend" was so successful, we are going to do something similar this coming weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday - July 1, 2, 3, and 4) and let you take a TOUR for the TROOPS! If you bring items from the following list from each member of your party, everyone's tour is HALF PRICE! That means instead of $20 for adults and $10 for kids, your tour will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids!

ITEMS WE STILL NEED:

Crossword puzzles, word searches, sudoku puzzles, bags of non-melting (no chocolate) candy (apparently they really CRAVE good candy and junk food sometimes!), magazines (TIME, Men's Health, People, etc.), recent newspapers, battery operated misting fans, chips/Pringles, and protein bars!

So, head out to the store, then to IEAS! Remember, your donation to the troops will only cut your tour cost ONCE - two items won't mean you get a free tour, but it WILL mean you care THAT much more about our troops! With the 4th of the July right around the corner, now is the time to be generous! Maybe use the WHOLE extra $10 you will save on your tour on the TROOPS! You know they will appreciate it and the IEAS residents will appreciate your visit!

Remember, in visiting the Sanctuary and bringing these items, you are helping an amazing cause help another amazing cause!

Mister Pictures!

2011-06-22T08:28:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures and a clip of the misters in action!

Princess hops up into her mist and cools off!

You can barely see Kuru behind his mist!

Samson's habitat with mist!

THANKS AGAIN TO EVERYONE WHO HELPED!

KURU enjoying his mist!

The Mister System has ARRIVED!

2011-06-19T05:02:00.000-07:00

Well, the mister system that YOU all purchased for the cats of IEAS has arrived and been all set up! Samson is already laying right in front of his and the those who haven't seen them before, like the two tigers who arrived from Houston in March, have investigated and made their decisions about the cool mist! They have both plopped right down on the perch in front of the mister!

So many of these amazing animals are cooler

and more comfortable because of YOUR generosity.

PICTURES COMING SOON!

Thank you to everyone who

donated for making it possible!

Want to be a Sanctuary Volunteer!?

2011-06-16T06:41:00.000-07:00

The International Exotic Animal Sanctuary has so many dedicated volunteers that come out, visit the animals, and are a HUGE help to the staff and residents of IEAS! Often times, these volunteers come and go, and we love to get updates on their lives and travels. One such volunteer recently had the chance to volunteer at a wildlife reserve in Ecuador and sent us news of her exciting new adventure:

"After two weeks of laboring under the canopy of the Amazon rainforest, building enclosures, carrying incredible red wood trees through the forest, and enjoying the company of beautiful animals, I sit here in an internet cafe in Quito, and enjoy the lovely smell of clean laundry and the millions of people that trek by my window. How's that for ya? Ecuador is amazing!! I have so many pictures and now I'm waiting to head off to Otavalo which is the largest market in South America! Hope everyone is well! :)"

Many of our volunteers do awesome things after they help out at the Sanctuary, just like Ecuador and even places such as Alaska!

Do YOU want to be a Sanctuary volunteer?!

Visit our VOLUNTEER PAGE for everything you need to know!

We hope to see you soon!

Cell Phones and Mountain Gorillas!?

2011-06-13T10:34:00.000-07:00

What do a cell phone and a Mountain Gorilla have in common?

This might shock you!

Cell phone batteries are made from an rare metal called Columbite-tatalum (Coltan), which is mined primarily in Africa's Republic of Congo. This area is currently home to 52 threatened or endangered species of animals. One of these species, the Eastern mountain gorilla, numbering only 250 individuals as of December 2002, is being slaughtered by the Coltan miners for "bushmeat" during their mining. The region is being cleared and mined pushing the remaining gorillas out of their environment.

A cell phone battery contains 2 oz. of Coltan which can be recovered and re-used. An estimated 200 million cell phones were thrown away in the U.S. in 2003. This means that 400 million ounces of Coltan was wasted and is still wasted annually. The current price for Coltan is $1,000 per kilogram. This converts to the wasted Coltan to 11,339,809 kilograms costing over 110 BILLION DOLLARS. All of this money is being thrown away by the U.S. population alone.

JOIN US in our effort to conserve wildlife, protect our environment, reduce the need for mining additional Coltan by recycling your old cell phones! Send them to IEAS at P.O. Box 637, Boyd, TX 76023 and we will take care of them for you!

Almost Halfway There!

2011-06-12T12:03:00.000-07:00

We are almost halfway to our goal of raising $2,500 towards a new mister system to supply cool mist to the second half the Sanctuary! We have had so many generous donations, and we can't wait to see if they keep on coming! Just remember, every little bit counts - there is truly no donation too small! Each and every penny gets the cats one step closer to having that cool mist to keep them comfortable in the summer heat!

Thanks SO much to everyone who has already sent in a donation!

Remember, you can call 940-433-5091, send your check to PO Box 637, Boyd, TX 76023, or click HERE to donate!

Cool Mist for Cool Cats!

2011-06-08T08:25:00.000-07:00

We hope you are all settling into summer as well as we are! Our summer routines are in full swing, and we are ready to beat the heat – but the animals need YOUR help! Here at IEAS, we strive to provide many different ways for the animals to stay cool. The animals enjoy pools with waterfalls and vegetation that provides shade for areas of each habitat to give the animals a nice, cool spot to relax. Some animals, such as bears, cougars, bobcats, and lions, have caves that provide a private place away from the sun’s rays. We also have misters that provide a fine mist of cool water in the animals’ favorite places to hang out!

In the past, you, our supporters, have really stepped up when the animals of IEAS needed you the most. We have two mister pumps that each supply water to one half of the Sanctuary. While the pumps are only expected to last about five years, we purchased our original two pumps over ten years ago, and in 2009, your generosity and caring helped the Sanctuary raise enough money to replace one of these struggling systems. At the end of last summer, we began having problems with the second of our initial mister systems, and it has finally given up on us. We now have to buy a new pump to supply water to the second half of the Sanctuary. With your help, Lexus, a male lion, who truly adores lounging in front of the cool mist on his favorite perch, and many other animals will have a great way to stay comfortable and refreshed in the summer!

We are hoping to raise $2,500 to reach our goal. We must purchase a Rapid Cool Pump, which will cost almost $2,000. The additional money is allotted for the need to purchase more mister line, electrical supplies, and plumbing supplies that are required to complete our misting project. Remember, every dollar counts and will help us reach our goal. There is no donation too small!

You can donate through our website, by calling the Sanctuary at 940-433-5091, or send a check to P.O. Box 637, Boyd, TX 76023 . Just be sure to specify that your donation is towards the new mister system!

Stay updated on our progress on our Blog and our website, www.bigcat.org!

Thanks for all of your support!

New Interns Have Arrived for the Summer!

2011-06-05T13:59:00.000-07:00

Well, another session has begun and IEAS welcomes Beth, Jackie, Kristi, and Amanda as Animal Care Interns! The staff and new interns are all eager to see what the next three months will bring. There is a lot to learn here at the Sanctuary and the girls seem ready to take it all in! So far, they have begun to learn feeding and pick up routines, daily chores, and all about giving tours, but we think that meeting all of the AMAZING animals at IEAS has been their favorite part!

Are YOU interested in becoming an intern

at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary?

Wondering what you can do to

better your chances of being selected?

Well, here are a few hints:

1. Work hard in school! Having a background in biology, animal science, wildlife ecology, zoo and aquarium science, or a related field can be SO helpful in working with animals and we certainly like to see someone who is willing to study hard and learn as much as they can!

2. Experience, experience, EXPERIENCE! Have a zoo nearby? Humane society? Wildlife rescue facility? Volunteer! Volunteering or taking part in other internships can be a great foot in the door when looking for animal care experience. IEAS loves to see someone who volunteers their time to learn from and take care of animals!

3. Most importantly, don't give up! The animal world can be very challenging to break in to. It gets frustrating at times to be part of such a competitive field but remember, hard work and perseverance will pay off in the end! Don't give up on your dream. There are plenty of animals out there that need taken care of. The right animal, the right place, and the right job will find YOU as long as you make yourself available!

Troop Care Packages from IEAS!

2011-05-30T09:09:00.000-07:00

Happy Memorial Day to all!

Especially our past, current, and future U.S. soldiers!

American soldiers have always and continue to risk their lives for all of us and here at IEAS, we want to do as much as we can to repay them. Between now, Memorial Day, and the 4th of July, the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary will collect as many items as we can to send lots of care packages to our troops who are currently protecting our freedom. It is our hope that the supporters of IEAS - like YOU! - will help us to reach our goal of collecting these items!

IEAS will be making some videos and gathering pictures of some of wildly entertaining and funny animals that are sure to put smiles on the faces of all the troops! We have some ideas of the other items we'd like to collect and have listed some below, but if you think of any more, we are definitely open to ideas and suggestions, so send in anything that YOU think would be great to have.

IDEAS: Phone cards, magazines, books, movies, hand warmers, foot warmers, tooth brushes, mouthwash, febreeze, body wash, body spray, pringles, crackers, cookies, beef jerky, comic books, travel size games, decks of cards, memory cards, suntan lotion, non-carbonated drinks, uniform t-shirts (which can be ordered online from AAFES), underwear, pictures from home, hard candy, blue and black pens, notebooks, envelopes, fly paper, a multi tool or good folding knife, travel size toiletries, powdered drinks (gatorade), blank writable cd's, crossword puzzles, etc...

We have a few ideas of specific troops, platoons, and areas to send these packages to but if you have a soldier in mind, send in the address and (depending on how much we collect) we will send a package their way!

We thank you all for your help in supporting our troops, but most importantly, the soldiers will thank you! It is a great way to show your appreciation for them!

Well, we made it through the storms!

2011-05-25T07:31:00.000-07:00

The Sanctuary made it through the storms and we hope you did, too!

The last few days and night here in Boyd, TX have been full of tornado watches, tornado warnings, and big storms but we made it! Last night, we had a tornado warning, with one headed toward Boyd from just west of us. Most of the animals were snug and dry in their houses and calm as could be but as usual, there were a few who were out and about! They love water too much to hate the rain. It's just a little different than sitting in their waters or playing in their pools!

A few of the staff members were a little less collected than the cats and bears! Being in "tornado alley" is new for most of our interns and can certainly cause a big of a scare when the prospect of such a big storm is headed our way. The tornado did miss us, thank goodness, and we hope that everyone who was affected by these storms is safe now!

The next step for us is clean up! With some branches down, waters full of leaves and rain water, and some muddy washouts, we're all set for a busy few days!

We hope to see you all out at the Sanctuary now that the weather is clearing up!

Tours every day at 11 AM and Saturdays also at 3 PM!

See you soon!

HUGE Week for Tours!

2011-05-16T13:52:00.000-07:00

Here at IEAS, we always expect a large number of school tours and love to show students around. It really is exciting to teach them about the animals living at IEAS and how to help their wild cousins. This week in particular is going to be a very busy week for the Sanctuary. With over 400 students visiting IEAS in the next few days, the cats and bears will see lots of friendly faces, eager to learn about them!

Conservation Education tours for students are a great way to get kids involved with animals and the environment. At IEAS, we have witnessed first hand how seeing a tiger lounging in the shade, laughing at bear cubs playing in a tree, and hearing lions roaring can truly connect a child to the animals. You wouldn't believe how wrapped up and intrigued the students visiting IEAS become after emotionally bonding with a playful leopard or curious grizzly bear. Seeing these connections is one of the MANY reasons IEAS loves to have school groups come out!

Rainy Days!

2011-05-12T08:13:00.000-07:00

It's been a rainy few days here at the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary. All of the animals have a safe, warm, dry house to spend their time in but you'd be amazed at how many of the cats were lounging on their perches enjoying the cool air and rain! We even saw some of our more adventurous felines rolling around on in their thick grass getting as wet as possible! It must have felt pretty good after last week's hot afternoons!

The sun as started poking out now that the morning clouds have burned off a bit. The playful animals here are ready to bask in the sun and dry off, laying on their perches and with their bellies up in the air!

(Photo by Amanda Cone - IEAS Intern!)

REMINDER: VOTE FOR US ON PEPSI REFRESH! Check out our Facebook and past Blog entries for more information!

Titan Update!

2011-05-05T05:14:00.000-07:00

Titan, the newest resident of IEAS, has moved into his permanent habitat! He has lush grass, a pool, a house, trees, perches, and plenty of toys to keep him occupied and happy. He seems to really be enjoying his new space. He has gotten the hang of our routine and gets excited when he sees the gator coming to feed in the morning. He has been in his pool and playing with toys already, although his favorite part of the habitat seems to be the the thick grass. He's made himself a few nice bed spots that he loves to lay in and loves to roll around in the greenery in the morning. We are so happy to have given Titan this space of his own, and we are so glad that he loves it so much!

As a REMINDER: Vote for our project on Pepsi Refresh!! We want to win $50,000 to put towards educating people as to the importance of conserving the American black bear! Voting is SO easy. It takes just a few seconds and if you vote once a day every day, we could move up in the rankings! The contest is open until the end of the month and right now we are in 70th place. The top 10 projects will receive $50,000! Help IEAS and help the animals both here and in the wild! Thanks so much!

URGENT: $50,000 for Pepsi Refresh!

2011-05-02T05:29:00.000-07:00

Do you think it's important to educate people about the importance of American black bear conservation and reintroduction? Well, so do we! We have been accepted as a potential recipient of $50,000 from the Pepsi Refresh Project in support of our efforts to carry out this education project and we need your help to win it!

Voting is open NOW and will be open until May 31st!

You get five votes a day, but you can only vote for each cause ONCE A DAY!

CLICK HERE TO GO TO OUR

PEPSI REFRESH PAGE TO VOTE!

There are a few WAYS TO VOTE:

You can log in to vote through your Facebook account, which makes the whole thing that much easier - no signing up, no e-mails, just voting!

You can vote from your phone by texting 106151 to Pepsi (73774)! Set a daily reminder on your phone so you remember every day!

And hey! Do you drink Pepsi products? If you do, you can help even more! Under the cap of specially labeled Pepsi products is a code that allows you to POWER VOTE! This gives you extra votes (up to 100!) so be sure to be checking for that Pepsi Refresh label and code! Click HERE for more info about Power Voting!

Remember, we need all the help we can get so spread the word!

Share this link on your Facebook, Twitter, with family and friends!

This voting takes almost NO time and can make a HUGE difference!

Imagine what $50,000 could do for IEAS!

Don't YOU want to be a part of making that happen?

EXCITING NEWS! Meet our newest resident - Titan!

2011-04-29T11:19:00.000-07:00

Titan is the newest resident of IEAS and we couldn't be happier that we are able to give this amazing tiger a new life. Titan was rescued from the Kelly-Miller Circus, a traveling circus based out of Oklahoma. Richard Gilbreth, Executive Director, received a call on March 28 from the USDA saying they needed to find a home for a male tiger. Quoted by the USDA, "The tiger wouldn't perform for the circus."

After hearing this, Richard and IEAS knew we had to rescue this innocent tiger. At the time, we just didn't know how fast we needed to act. The Circus was set up in Bridgeport, just 15 miles from the Sanctuary. Since it is a traveling Circus, they were leaving that night, so Richard and Roy headed to Bridgeport to rescue this tiger. The tiger was being kept in a 6X6 cage where all he could do is stand up and barely turn around.

Needless to say, this tiger was ready to get out of those conditions. He loaded right up into his transfer cage and made the short trip to his new home. He has been housed in our Quarantine area but is moving to his new habitat TODAY! Look out for pictures of him after he has settled in! His spacious habitat will consist of trees, grass, perches, a pool and plenty of enrichment items to play with. He will be able to enjoy his stress-free life here at IEAS where he will receive the best quality care.

This tiger will never again have to perform for anyone.

Help Quench Our Thirst!

2011-04-25T10:52:00.000-07:00

Looking for a reason to come out to IEAS? Well, if 67 extraordinary animals and the chance for a once in a lifetime experience aren't enough, we are having a SPECIAL EVENT this weekend!

Friday, Saturday and Sunday (April 29, 30, and May 1), you can tour IEAS for the small donation of a CASE OF WATER! With summer on its way, the Sanctuary needs to prepare for all the thirsty supporters that will be headed to IEAS. Having lots of water on hand is key to a great tour experience in the middle of these hot, Texas summers, and YOU can help us get ready.

The normal suggested donation of $20 per adult and $10 per child will be waived if each member of your group brings one case of water bottles (at least a 12 pack)! JUST REMEMBER: children must be at least 7 YEARS OLD to tour IEAS. So, those cases of water, they may be heavy but it's a great, inexpensive way to help IEAS and see the amazing animals living at the Sanctuary!

We hope to see you lugging

those cases of water into

the Sanctuary this weekend!

Remember, this is for Friday, Saturday and Sunday!

Call 940-433-5091 for more information!

Celebrate Easter with IEAS!

2011-04-22T11:40:00.000-07:00

Any plans for that time between your morning Easter Egg Hunt and the Easter dinner? Well, a tour of the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary would be a great idea for the whole family!

Just thinking about your visit is making Chrissy smile!

IEAS tours are a great experience for everyone. Instead of Easter BUNNIES, you will have the opportunity to see Easter tigers, lions, leopards, grizzly bears, jaguars, black bears, and more! It will be a wonderful holiday trip for everyone! So as an Easter present to the felines and bears living at IEAS, you and your family could make a trip out to the Sanctuary and pay them an Easter visit! Everyone deserves a "hello" from friends on Easter right?

New Tigers in their Pool!

2011-04-18T10:05:00.001-07:00

Well, we've seen evidence of the new male and female tigers going in their pool before, but we finally saw it first hand! The male tiger seems to love the cool, running water in the evenings, especially when he brings his favorite toy in - his pickle! He was spotted the other day in his pool rolling around and pushing his pickle underwater!

Here are some pictures that Amanda, an intern, was able to get...

Come out to IEAS to get a first hand look at this water-loving big cat!

www.bigcat.org

Peanut Party!

2011-04-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday here at IEAS mean something exciting for Scooter, Greta, and Scamp - a Peanut Party! These three American black bears cubs have been working with Louis Dorfman, our Animal Behaviorist since they were only a few weeks old. Since then, they have spent quality time together, munching on peanuts.

While they are lots of fun for these bears, Peanut Parties are not just a snack or play time. These sessions allow Scooter, Greta, and Scamp to socialize, relax, and understand their caretakers, ensuring their comfort and trust in them.

Because of this comfort, these three rambunctious cubs have the reputation of always putting on a good show for tours! Often times, they follow the tour group around Bear Orphanage, playing, pouncing, and wrestling with each other. To see just how funny they can be, check out their wrestling match at the following link...

The Wrestling Match!

2011-04-11T11:33:00.000-07:00

Our newest set of interns has been at IEAS for about 6 weeks now! They have completed their initial training and have begun learning about and working on new and different projects.

Here at the Sanctuary, we do lots of work with mortar and cement. Whether in building a cave, repairing a pool, or fixing a water trough, an animal caretaker at IEAS has to be comfortable and confident working with these materials. Interns Amanda, Elyse, Jennie, Jamie, Danielle, and Sydney had their first taste of this work just a few days ago when they learned how to build a water trough.

Click the link below to check out the video!

Interns Building a Water Trough Video

Our First School Tour of the Season!

2011-04-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, the Sanctuary had its first group of students come from Paradise Elementary School! It was an exciting day, and we are looking forward to when more schools will be coming out, but the Paradise kids were a great bunch to start the season with!

Over 50 youngsters came out and from the second they got off the bus, we could see they were eager to experience IEAS! They were pointing out all of the cats and bears they could see from the parking lot, clearly excited to get started! After separating into groups, they were led around the Sanctuary and had the perfect day! They were able to see a ton of wonderful animals, some even put on a great show for them, like Scooter, Greta, and Scamp, who decided the kids might like to watch a wrestling match!

We couldn't thank the teachers enough for bringing the kids out. WE had a great time showing them around and teaching them about the animals, their wild cousins, and how they could help conserve these species! They were really interested in learning all about IEAS and asked a ton of great questions.

If you know of a school that might benefit from a visit to IEAS, send us an e-mail and we will contact them! OR, you can let the school know about IEAS Conservation Education tours. Just remember, the students all need to be at least 7 years old!

Hope to see you ALL at IEAS soon!

Spring is a great time for...

2011-04-04T04:29:00.000-07:00

...lots of visitors at IEAS!

Spring is the perfect time to visit the Sanctuary. Right now, we have the perfect weather for tours as many of the cats are out basking in the sun and enjoying the breeze before the Texas summers set in! We can promise that you'll see lots of happy cats and bears playing in their freshly grown grass. Khera, a Bengal tiger, loves to roll in her grass as the tour goes by! Scooter, Scamp, and Greta, three American black bears, have been known to put on a great show playing in their meadow as the tour passes.

Spring isn't good only for tours! If you've already visited IEAS and have fallen in love with a certain animal, spring is a great season to adopt a cat or bear and visit it often! The animals are very active in the spring and would love to make a new friend! To learn more about our Adopt-An-Animal Program, click the link below:

Adopt an Animal!

We hope to see you ALL out at IEAS soon!

The cats and bears of the Sanctuary will appreciate your friendship!

And the Winners Are...

2011-04-01T11:01:00.000-07:00

Meet Duke and Duchess!

Congratulations to the new Adoptive Parents of these very special cougars!

There were so many great names to choose from that it was a very difficult decision, but Duke and Duchess can now look forward to spending quality time with Adoptive Parents who can truly make a difference in their lives!

If you submitted
one of these names,
please contact us,
via Facebook or
e-mail us at
iefsedu@aol.com!
We are excited to see you out at IEAS!

Tigers Update!

2011-03-28T10:48:00.000-07:00

Many times when new cats arrive at IEAS, it does not take long for them to figure out the feeding and cleaning routine. The two newest tiger residents are no exception! They quickly figured out where each one was going to eat their breakfast and are now catching on to the cleaning routine. We like to clean inside each habitat at least three times per week. This morning, the female tiger was happily rolling around in the grass while we were cleaning in one side of their habitat. The male watched us patiently from his house. When we were through with the first half, the female came right over when we raised the gate to eat her food. The male came out of his house so that we were able to feed him and then clean the other half of their habitat.

We are so happy that these two amazing animals are settling in so nicely to their new home. The female has been spending more and more time exploring outside during the day, just watching us while we are working around the facitlity. The male was hanging out on top of his cave yesterday evening, just watching the world go by!

Remember, there are only a few more days left to participate in the Cougar Naming Contest! Be sure to submit your name by the end of March for a chance to win!

Pool Time!

2011-03-25T12:37:00.001-07:00

I don't think any of us can complain about the weather this past week. I know the animals of IEAS are sure having some fun. The bears are enjoying their pond and water tubs, especially the cubs. Visitors beware as the area around their water tubs becomes a splash zone! They have so much fun rough housing in them. The grizzlies are in their pool at least once a day...if not all day! And if you are anywhere near their pool while they are playing...you will get wet!

Our tigers, of course, are having a blast in their pools. Even the older tigers still enjoy splashing around every now and then. Our two new resident tigers wasted no time cooling off in their pool. They both love to cool off during the early morning hours and late evening hours. They tend to want their privacy while they are enjoying a relaxing dip. The male tiger had just gotten out of his pool when one of the keepers came over for a visit. He came right over to the fence and greeted her with a chuff. So we are happy to see these two tigers and the cougars warming up to not only their human caregivers, but their animal neighbors as well.

If you would like to see a good show, now is the time to visit these wonderful animals. The weather couldn't be more perfect, and the animals are ready to make a splash!

UPDATE: Cougars Are Exploring!

2011-03-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the cougars getting much more adventurous! Both the male and female cougar have perches that are built about fifteen feet off the ground and in the past few days, the two cats have wandered up to explore. The male laid down right away, enjoying the view and shade from the trees above. The female also spends a great deal of time up there and is visibly more comfortable from that vantage point. She seems to be the type who likes to have a sharp eye on everything going on around her. We are very happy that they are enjoying these perches and really making use of all of the space provided to them.

They, like the tigers, are adjusting very well and becoming more and more trusting of their caretakers all the time! They are both already getting the hang of our daily feeding, pick up, and house cleaning routines. The male recognized immediately that the gators we drive are what brings his meal and now gets very excited whenever a gator passes! The female pops out of her house as soon as we get there in the morning, ready for us to lower the gate and put her food in.

Stay updated on their progress here on our Blog and on our Facebook!

UPDATE: New Cats Showing Us Some Affection!

2011-03-18T04:28:00.000-07:00

First off, we've been getting some really great, creative name submissions for our Cougar Naming Contest! There is a little less than two weeks left and we can already see we are going to have our work cut out for us deciding on one name for each of cougars!

So, keep the names coming! Soon enough these two cats will each have an Adoptive Parent and it could be YOU!

Well, all four of our most recently rescued cats have really been coming around to us! The two tigers spend their days tucked in their house and cave but in the evenings, are more than happy to come over for a visit, especially the female! She will get a bit nervous as someone approaches but as soon as she recognizes who it is and we talk to her a bit, she comes right over and chuffs at us! Chuffing is a tigers way of purring, like a friendly greeting they use to say hi! The male is a bit more cautious but when he sees that his female companion trusts us, he comes over and says hello as well!

We're very excited that they are becoming more trusting of us and more comfortable in their habitat. The male has been spotted, soaking wet, after going in his pool. He left muddy footprints all the way back to his perch! We have even seen signs that they have been playing with their giant pickle toy! The pickle moved from their perch, to the ground, to the lower perch, to the highest perch over the course of a few nights. This is a great sign that they are enjoying the behavioral enrichment we provided!

The cougars are doing great as well!

More news on them to come soon!