Tour Season!

While we provide tours year round here at IEAS, spring and summer are upon us and that means we need to get ready for tour season! We already have some very large groups lined up for the next few months and we are eager to start spreading the word about these wonderful animals.

If you've been thinking about coming out for a tour, but keep putting it off, now is the time to make the trip! Once the warm weather hits, it really is the perfect time to come out and see the residents of IEAS. Most of the cats and bears LOVE to play and lounge in the sun so you are guaranteed to see some incredible animals. The tours usually last about an hour and a half walking on gravel paths so wear comfortable walking shoes!

Our tours are full of amazing animals and great information and you'll be amazed at how much care and effort we put into supporting these magnificent creatures. It truly is an experience you will never forget and your visit will help the animals of IEAS more than you know - so head to our website for more information and come out and see us!

Click here to go to our Tour Information page!

Here's what others have said about their visits to the Sanctuary!

"I have been coming here for years; thank you for all that you do! One of the reasons that I love to come here is that the animals are not required to perform. If we stop at an enclosure and the animal becomes agitated, the humans move-on; the animals welfare comes first! It is such a pleasure to see these animals safe and healthy; to see the tigers chuffing at the staff means that they feel secure. Some of these animals come from horrible conditions. While they're still in captivity, they are treated with care and respect. Thank-you for your commitment to the animals." - Michelle S.

"Today we visited your sanctuary. I had heard of you guys over the years but just never got a chance to come out. I didn't know what to expect. I'm a huge animal lover, especially for big cats. I found your place to be very educational. I was amazed at how clean everything was and how healthy the animals looked. They looked very comfortable and happy. Our tour guide was great at giving us information about the animals and made the whole experience fun. It's so nice to know that you give these animals a place to live out their lives where they are treated so well." - Diane M., Fort Worth, TX

In Loving Memory of Rani

A few days ago, we lost one of our beloved Bengal tigers, Rani. It is with very heavy hearts that we say goodbye to this amazing tiger. Rani was one of the sweetest, most loveable animals that anyone could ever have the pleasure of knowing. She was one of the most talkative tigers here at the Sanctuary, always greeting her visitors with an affectionate moan and a chuff. It was clear that nothing made Rani happier than a visit from just about anyone. She would come over and lay by the fence, just happy to have a companion.

At 23 years old, Rani was the oldest resident of IEAS and the oldest tiger in the SSP (Species Survival Plan). She was a very special girl and could touch the heart of anyone. Each of us considers ourselves blessed to have had the opportunity to spend time with and care for this incredible animal. She had quite a character and could truly brighten any mood with her quintessential sounds and loving spirit. She benefited greatly from our Emotional Enrichment Program, as she craved attention and viewed all of her caregivers as a source of comfort. She is proof that taking care of an animal's emotional well-being is just as important as providing for their basic needs such as a proper diet and veterinary care. So today we say farewell to Rani.

She will forever live on in our hearts and our memories.

Finally Some Warmer Weather!

Well, the snow and ice are gone again and the temperature has gone up! We've been taking full advantage of this here at IEAS, getting lots of outdoor work done. Interns and keepers have been painting, weeding, building, fixing, and trimming - all while leaving our sweatshirts and gloves at home!

With the 60-70+ temperatures, the cats and bears have been out and about too! The cats have been out basking in the sun. Many of them love to lay flat on their backs warming their bellies. The Triplets (Akbar, Arusha, and Kumar) have been laying together under their trees, which is their favorite spot to lay in the summer time! It's giving us the feeling that spring/summer are just around the corner! We've even seen the Grizzlies! It seems like it may be time for them to come out of their hibernation. They'll be looking forward to wrestling in their pools and playing on their see saws!

While the weather is perfect, be sure to come out for a tour!

Surviving the Winter!

Here at IEAS, we get interns from all over the country! Even those who come from up north are surprised by the unpredictable weather that Texas winters can bring. With most of the work at the Sanctuary being outdoors, each of the winter interns has their own ways of coping and surviving the sometimes harsh weather. To get some insight into how they all handle the cold, follow this link to "Surviving the Winter" in the Intern Program section of our website...

Surviving the Winter at IEAS!

Here is a little preview of what you'll read!

"Everything feels heavier, including yourself, considering you are wearing about 15 extra pounds of clothing. All the hoses are frozen, as well as the water troughs. This is when you grab a long steel pipe and proceed to beat it against the ice until it breaks a hole through so the animals can reach the water underneath. And trust me, this could definitely take some time, not to mention energy and some strong arm muscles." - Emily

"All the challenges that I faced while working in the winter didn't bother me, but made it more satisfying and exciting that I was working this hard to help give these animals the best care I could give while they are out in the elements as well." - Mackenzie

$5,000 for the Animals of IEAS!

We need your help! The Sanctuary has the chance to win $5,000 and all we need is for people to write reviews of IEAS! Even if you haven't been here before, you can get a great feel for the Sanctuary on our website (www.bigcat.org). So, whether you have been here for a tour or have supported us through the website and emails, you can help! Just write a short review of IEAS on the following link. Whoever receives the most reviews during February will win the $5,000! It is at no cost to you and will help these amazing animals!

http://greatnonprofits.org/reviews/write/international-exotic-feline-sanctuary-inc

THANK YOU to all who write a review!

You can help each and every animal at IEAS!

After Effects of Ice and Snow

Well, the ice and snow disappeared just about as fast as it came. However, it left some damage in its wake. As thing thawed out, we started to find little leaks, cracks, and breaks caused by the freezing temperature and ice. A pump in Bear Orphanage broke sometime during the cold. This pump is responsible for pushing water from one of our tanks up the hill to supply about a third of the lines and hoses in the Sanctuary. Because it is broken, we've been without water in this section. Instead of filling the waters with hoses, we have had to haul 5 gallon buckets of water from our Nutrition Center to each habitat and pour the water through the fence into the troughs. When doing all of the waters necessary, this has left us hauling 30-40 of these buckets. It is certainly exhausting work, but it is worth it knowing that the animals will have clean water to drink. While we work hard to make sure of this, Richard and Roy have been working hard to get the pump fixed. It looks like we'll have water back to all of the hoses in the next few days.

In addition to this break, we may have to dig a new well to provide water to a different section of the Sanctuary. So far, it is unclear what the cause of this lack of water is, but if it IS the well, this fix will surely take longer than the Bear Orphanage pump. This section of the Sanctuary may be without water for another two weeks. In this case, the staff and interns will be hauling water for the animals AND themselves, as this pump supplies water to the Meadows Dormitory (for the interns) and the Veterinary Clinic.

So, for now, we will all be very careful with our water use! We are hoping these breaks and leaks don't keep turning up but we will be ready if they do!

It is times like these that we are VERY grateful for the support you all provide for us! Your generosity helps us immensely in the ability to fix the breaks that pop up now and then!

A Surprise Visit from the Grizzlies!

Even with the cold weather the past few days, our Grizzly bears have decided to come out of "hibernation" for a visit! The four have them, Papa, George, Willie, and Wendy, have been snuggled together in a cave we built for them for over a month. They have popped their heads out to get some fresh air a few times on particularly warm days, but none of us expected to see them out in this frigid air! Even still, Willie came wandering out first and sat at his icy water trough for a drink. He was followed by Wendy, who took the opportunity to play with some ice chunks that she broke off of the snow piles in their habitat! Papa and Willie were intrigued by her jumping around and came out next to investigate. It was nice to see them but it didn't take long for the cold to make them wander back into their warm cave together! Just like the Black bears, they had pine tree branches and hay that they brought into the cave. They both make for great denning material! We are looking forward to the spring for sure. It will be nice to the see the Grizzlies' faces more often!

February brings in the cold!

So far, February has been a bit of a challenge! We woke up yesterday morning to find 3 inches of ice and snow with some strong winds blowing it everywhere! The whole Sanctuary was cold and white but the animals were ready to eat first thing as usual! We had to walk the pans of meat to most of the houses, though we were able to drive some roads in the Sanctuary. We used a torch to melt the ice and snow off of the frozen locks, pins, and gates. A feeding that normally takes about 20 minutes took over an hour and a half today! It was a long morning but the animals are all full, happy, and warm in their hay filled houses. Well, except the few who are full, happy, and playing out in the snow! Sabrina, a white Bengal tiger, was rolling in the snow and rubbing on her snow covered tire. She also managed to make a huge snowball with one of her big boomer balls by rolling all over her habitat. Nearby, Nakita, a bobcat, laid in the snow by her Christmas tree watching the birds at the feeder near her habitat.

We are preparing for the next few days, which will likely be as cold and challenging as this morning! We are ready to do whatever is necessary to make sure that the animals are all happy and content!

Big Cat Scratching Posts!

Everyone who has a cat at home knows they love a good scratching post. Here at IEAS, the big cats feel the same way. As we walk through their habitats, we see lots of scratch marks on trees and in the dirt. The lions and tigers will stand as tall as they can with their paws on a tree, clawing some big marks in the bark. This is not necessarily to keep their claws sharp! These markings are a lot like those you would see in the wild. The big cats have scent glands on their paws and use the marks as a territorial sign, claiming the area they are in as their own. This tree is in the habitat of Allie and Rasul, two white Bengal tigers. Allie (below) loves to scratch this particular tree!

Big cats also have scent glands on their cheeks, chins, between their toes, and at the base of their tails. They will frequently rub their cheeks and faces on the fences to mark the boundaries of their territory. Between this and scratching their trees, we see lots of markings happening in the habitats of these big felines!

Come visit the Sanctuary to learn more about these big cats! We offer conservation education tours every day at 11:00 and Saturdays at 11:00 & 3:00!

Our Last Set of Trees!

Well, most of the Christmas tree have been squashed, chewed, thrown around, and destroyed to the point of no return but we had just a few left to pass out to the animals! Just like the ones before them, these trees proved to be a GREAT piece of enrichment for the cats.

This time around, we gave the littlest trees to the littlest cats! Our bobcats, servals, and caracal had a blast! Unlike their their larger neighbors, they didn't dive to tear apart the trees. Instead, they realized that these trees and their little bristly needles made a perfect place for rubbing! Tassers, one of our oldest bobcats, in addition to lots of rubbing, did LOTS of drooling all over the tree! Baby and Cookie, Tassers' neighbors, pushed their faces through the branches! It was just like they had little combs scratching through their fur! Billy, the caracal, and Barbara, a serval had been watching closely as Tassers got his tree and then had a chance for their own. They laid down right next to it and stayed put, rubbing until we left.

Shauna, a lioness, was one of the big cats who got a tree in our last round. She is known for being a bit of a goofball and her personality certainly showed when we gave her this tree! Shauna laid upside down on the tree, scratching her head all over it. She tried continuously to pull the branches up over her face to rub on them. Check out the video below to see how funny she was!

We hope you have enjoyed watching the cats and bears playing with the trees as much as we have! We couldn't have imagined the trees being a bigger hit! The residents of IEAS loved them! One final THANKS to Rainbow Plant Sales and all of our supporters!

The Bears' Turn for Christmas Trees!

After the cats received their Christmas trees, we knew it was the bears’ turn! Now, they are much more used to trees; we all know they love to climb! So, instead of giving them full trees to climb on, we decided to cut off the branches for them to use as denning materials. This way, they could be warm AND have some Christmas decorations in their dens! When we piled the branches in the holding areas on both sides of Bear Orphanage, they each reacted a little differently. On one side, Scooter, Scamp, and Greta’s normal playfulness was amplified by the fun new branches! Scamp plopped himself down in the middle of the pile to play. He would pull the branches up onto himself and rub his face and belly all over them. At the same time, Greta was right next to him, rolling back and forth and pouncing from branch to branch, making sure to also pounce on Scamp and Scooter a time or two! Scooter spent most of his time walking around in the branches and playing with Greta. He really will take any opportunity for playtime! Check out the video below to see how much fun they had tumbling and pouncing in the branches!

On the other side of Bear Orphanage, Rascal was the first of the bears to see the branches. We piled them right next to the cave he was sleeping in. Once he smelled them, he wandered out and sniffed around. Probably because he had just woken up, Rascal realized these branches would be great for sleeping with. He picked a few up, one at a time, and dragged them backwards into his cave. Over the next few days, we saw that on both sides of the Orphanage, the bears had begun dragging the piles into their dens and caves! Turns out these thick, soft branches really do make great denning materials for them!

We are so happy that these donated trees have had such an impact on the cats and bears of IEAS! It’s an absolute joy to watch them have so much fun with them! Thanks again to Rainbow Plant Sales in Saginaw, TX and to ALL of our supporters! Come out and visit soon!

Say "cheese!"

Here at the Sanctuary, we know that many of our supporters don't have the chance to visit the animals often. We also know that many of you want the opportunity to stay updated on how the cats and bears are doing and what they are up to. Well, we are constantly taking pictures and videos of all of the animals so YOU can see just how wonderful they are! While we have lots of these photos and videos on our website (www.bigcat.org), we are taking additional steps to make it easy and fun for you to see what all the cats and bears are up to. We have created a flickr page, full of pictures (and videos soon!) that will constantly be added to. The pictures are separated into different sets so you can look at pictures of all of our lions, all of our bobcats, or all of our enrichment - all at once! So, go take a look and see what the cats and bears have been up to! Some of them seem to smile for the camera, like Papa here!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ieas

A January Christmas for the Cats!

Even though Christmas has passed for most of us, the residents of IEAS are just now enjoying the leftover Christmas trees. Now, all of our animals have trees in their habitats, but something about a new and different little evergreen tree certainly seems to set them off! Most of the trees we provided for the felines stood about two to three feet tall. This allowed the cats to pick them up, toss them in the air, and bat them around with their paws.

Some were surprisingly playful, like Noel, one of our Siberian tigers who tends to put on his tough face most of the time. Instead of watching us as we watched him, like he usually does, Noel dove right into his tree, shaking it around and chewing it up. In no time at all, he picked the tree up and playfully ran full speed into his house with the tree to play in private!

A few yards away, the triplets, Akbar, Kumar, and Arusha, couldn’t get enough of their trees. They sniffed, batted, and shook their trees all around, taking a moment every few minutes to pounce on each other. They were certainly excited at the new toy, as they usually do.

Zippy, unlike the others, got a Christmas tree that stood about seven feet tall. We knew Zippy would enjoy it; she never disappoints when we give her new enrichment items! This time was no different. Zippy pounced right on it. She would grab a branch and roll the whole tree towards her. When it rolled on her foot, she would take off running, as if the tree were attacking her. After a loop around her habitat, she always came back for more.

Kim and Karen, who always love a new toy, had a blast as they would walk away from the tree, then run right back and pounce on it. They chewed them up, shook them, put them in their water troughs, then placed them in their houses for safe keeping. Even days later they have been seen playing with the trees!

Their neighbor, Lexus, is a VERY majestic and proud lion. He didn’t let this stop him from having a blast with his tree. He shook it up and chewed it to bits! We found remnants of it scattered all over. See below for a before and after shot of Lexus’ tree – you’ll be able to tell just how much fun he had!

Some of our small felines also had some fun. Chrissy and Tricia, two of our bobcats, waited until late in the evening to explore their tree but once they smelled it, they had a great time rubbing, laying, and rolling all over it! One of our interns, Amanda, saw sap on their whiskers and got some great pictures of them loving their trees (below)! They seemed so happy to have the pine needles scratching and rubbing their backs and faces for them!

A HUGE thanks to Rainbow Plant Sales in Saginaw, TX, for donating all of their leftover trees! And thanks to ALL for your support!

Thanks to all who voted for us on CITGO's Fueling Good!

Thanks to each and every one of you who voted for us for CITGO’s Fueling Good Sweepstakes. Because you thought about our animals for a few moments each day, we have come in third place and won $1,000 worth of CITGO gas and a case of CITGO oil! The staff and residents of IEAS could not be more grateful for the care and support you have for us! Now, instead of spending that $1,000 on gas, we can put it towards furthering our efforts to make the lives of our animals safe, healthy, and happy. We never could have reached this goal on our own. We know that it has only happened because of YOU. Thank you so much for your support! You are each an important part of the lives of our felines and bears!

First Snow of the Year

Yesterday we had our first snow fall for 2011! The animals were not too thrilled first thing in the morning when it was raining, but once the snow started falling at lunch time, they were out having fun. Akbar, Arusha and Kumar were out playing in the snow, and Kimberly and Karen were actually playing in their pool! Now one would expect a snow leopard to thrive in this type of weather, but Katrina was not about to be out in the snow. She kept nice and dry in her cave under her water fall. It was only after the snow fall she ventured out to check on things. The bears were smarter and all stayed in their dens and caves during the storm. It wasn't until today that they came out to play. Nearly all the bears were out on the tour enjoying the cooler weather. There were a few that chose to stay warm and snug in their den. So, don't let the cooler weather keep you from enjoying these animals. Come out to see them on a tour!

Domino Enjoys his Ball

Domino has a little system in place on the days we clean his habitat. He watches as we clean his habitat and spray his enrichment items with a 50/50 bleach solution. Then, you can see his eyes light up when we go to raise his gate. At that point, he only has one thing on his mind...get to his red boomer ball. While raising his gate or rolling up his hose, one will hear a squeaking sound. Well that noise is Domino licking and rubbing his nose across his boomer ball. It's clockwork. He does this every time we clean, and it makes for good entertainment for those watching. You can come see Domino on a tour. Just call the office to set it up for 11am Monday-Friday, or come by Saturday at 11am or 3pm or Sundays at 11am. How often do you get to see a Jaguar rub his nose across a boomer ball?!

Please Vote!

I just want to remind everyone to vote for IEAS daily to help the Sanctuary win a $2,500 gas care! Right now we believe we are in 3rd place, but we are so close to winning the grand prize! It's so easy. Just take five minutes a day and go to www.fuelinggood.com. Click on the "Cast Your Vote" box in the upper right corner of the home page. You will have to register the first time, but after that, all you have to do is type in your email and vote. We are listed under the title "You Too Can Save a Life." You can just type in "IEAS" and "go" and we will pop up. This is an easy way for your to help the animals of IEAS without costing you dime. So please remember us the next few weeks. The contest ends January 4. Oh, and did I mention that each time you vote, you get a chance to win a $25 gas card for yourself? All you do is play a game after you vote and you may be a winner! Thank you all for your support this past year. We hope everyone has a safe and Happy New Years!

Merry Christmas Everyone!

The animals and Staff of IEAS would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Earlier this week it really didn't feel like winter at all. However, now it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas! The animals will be snug as bugs in their warm cozy houses for the next few days. There will be those few cats that love the water too much to let some cold weather keep them from having fun. Kim and Karen are two very playful tigers who love the water! A side note, we would like to remind everyone that in the spirit of the Holidays, the staff will be taking time off to be with family on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so there will be no tours scheduled for those days. We do invite you all to bring your family out Sunday and anytime next week! Again...Happy Holidays!

Holiday Season

The Holiday season is upon, and we would like for you to remember the animals of IEAS during this time. With Christmas just a week away, I am sure all of you have your decorations up and your Christmas trees decorated full of presents underneath. Well, we would like to give you a gift idea for the animals of IEAS. When you take your live tree down, instead of putting it out with the trash, bring it by the Sanctuary. Old live Christmas trees make for an entertaining enrichment item for the bears. The grizzly bears will enjoying playing with them and tearing them up, while the black bears may make a den or a brush pile to sleep in. Now don't forget about the felines enjoying the trees. Akbar, Arusha and Kumar enjoy playing with old pine trees as well and have taken branches into their pool to play with. Kim and Karen we know will love playing with the trees as well. So please, if you would like to donate your live tree, just call us for directions!

New Interns Arrive at IEAS

The new interns have survived their first week at IEAS. We have girls from all over the U.S. that were chosen to participate in the Winter Internship. The girls from up North have brought the colder weather to Texas as the last few mornings have been near freezing. No matter how cold it is though, the girls have learned quite a bit during their first week at IEAS. Each of these interns have one goal in mind, to help care for exotic animals either through conservation education or zookeeping. IEAS is a good place to start to accomplish their goals. During the next three months, these interns will learn just what it takes to properly care for exotic feline and bears.

Help the Sanctuary win this Contest

The International Exotic Animal Sanctuary has entered another voting contest. This time the prize is a $2,500 gas card from CITGO. One may not think gasoline has important roll in our daily operations when in fact we use it every day. First impressions are always very important which is why we put just as much effort into maintaining the grounds as we do into caring for these magnificent animals. During the spring, summer and fall, the staff of IEAS has about 16 acres of land, not including the habitats, to care for. In addition, the sanctuary travels over 280 miles each week to pick up groceries that have been donated by our local grocers. While we are extremely grateful to have this produce donated, the Sanctuary still spends between $6,000 and $7,000 each year on gasoline. This is a way you can help...all you have to do is vote for us once a day until January 4,2011!

HOW TO VOTE: Just go to www.fuelinggood.com. Click on the "Cast Your Vote" box in the upper right corner of the home page. You will have to register the first time, but after that, all you have to do is type in your email and vote. We are listed under the title "You Too Can Save a Life." Yes, it's that easy!

PRIZES: We have a chance two win one of three prizes.
Grand Prize: $2,500 CITGO Gift Card and a case of CITGO Passenger Car Oil
First Prize: $1,500 CITGO Gift Card and a case of CITGO Passenger Car Oil
Second Prize: $1,000 CITGO Gift Card and a case of CITGO Passenger Car Oil