We did it!

As the winter session comes to an end, six interns and the zookeeper apprentice will be leaving the Sanctuary in hopes pursue jobs in animal care in the future. While we often joked that the internship here was “zookeeper boot camp,” it has left us knowing so much more about this field and exactly what it takes to be a zookeeper. It is rigorous work that challenges you everyday, but getting to work around these majestic animals has been an amazingly rewarding experience, particularly with the Sanctuary’s Emotional Enrichment program. Through this program, we were able to develop strong bonds with a few animals. While we are all incredibly sad to leave say goodbye to our Emotional Enrichment partners, we know it is time for a new batch of interns to learn what they need to become zookeepers! Thank you so much to all of IEAS staff who helped guide us during our time here—we are so appreciative!

Of course, we had to take a goofy one!

Isn't it Purrfect

Here at IEAS, we’re home to many animals, including many different species of felines that range in size. When you think of cats in general, the first thing that may pop in your head is a cat’s ability to purr. Purring is one of the many vocalizations cats use to communicate. As everyone knows, domestic cats purr when they’re happy and expressing their affection. A common question I’ve gotten since being here is, do the larger cats, like tigers, purr? The answer to this question is… no cat can both purr and roar!

So, what gives a cat the ability to purr? Purring is produced by laryngeal muscles which move the vocal cords and open and close the space between the cords known as the glottis. The glottis rapidly opens and closes as the muscles rhythmically contract which is signaled by a “neural oscillator” in the cat’s brain. When the cat breathes in and out, air hits the vibrating muscles and the glottis producing bursts of noise 25 times a second which creates the purring sound we’re all familiar with. Surprisingly the whole process isn’t consciously controlled by the cat, purring is pretty much a muscular twitch!

Why can’t larger cats purr? The hyoid bone makes all the difference in the world! The hyoid bone is found in the throat and provides support for the tongue and larynx. In smaller cats that purr, the hyoid bone is more rigid and bony. In the larger roaring cats like lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards, the hyoid bone is more flexible giving them the ability to roar but not to purr. Cougars are actually the largest cat with the ability to purr along with bobcats and lynxes.

Hyoid Bone

So, how do the larger cats that can't purr vocalize their affection? Tigers, which can’t purr, make a noise called a “chuff”. A chuff is a breathy, friendly sound tigers make out of excitement and as a greeting to their fellow tigers and keepers. Lions show their affection in a different way, instead of chuffing, they moan! Like a tiger's chuff, a lion's moan is also like a friendly greeting and a way to show their affection toward one another. If you want to hear these many vocalizations in action, come out to the Sanctuary for a tour today! Tours are held at 11 a.m. every day and on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

It's a Date!

As you might already know, at IEAS, we place a large emphasis on Emotional Enrichment. A lot of the animals at the Sanctuary were previously rescued from abusive homes. Therefore, they do not trust humans. What we are basically trying to do is to provide these animals with a source of security and comfort through love, affection, and respect. Honestly, I had never even heard of Emotional Enrichment until I read the job description. However, my curiosity got to me and this was actually one of the reasons I applied for the internship! Naturally, I was excited when I was told to make a list of the top 4 animals I wanted to sit with. I would only be given 2 of my 4, but I would be able to take on more animals as I learned the process.

KiKi checking out her surroundings. 

One of my choices was to sit with ShereKahn and KiKi. ShereKahn is an orange Bengal Tiger and KiKi is a white Bengal Tiger, these siblings will be turning two in May. These cubs came from a facility in the Northeast that no longer had a use for them.  Fortunately, I was given the okay to sit with these two for our Emotional Enrichment Program. I was especially excited when I found out that I was going to be the first intern allowed to sit with them! Now when I say "sit", I mean that we get to sit outside of their fence, no closer than 3’ away from it. There are also certain rules when sitting. If they are showing any undesirable behaviors (i.e. pacing or jumping on the fence, growling, etc.), we are to leave immediately. If the animal goes in their house, we consider that their safe place where they can get alone time, and we do not sit with them. Essentially what we term “the perfect sit” occurs when we walk up and the animal continues on as if you aren’t even there. Another form of the perfect sit occurs if the animal sleeps in our presence. We attribute it to a stranger being in your home. Would you feel comfortable sleeping with someone you don't trust or feel comfortable with in your house? Likely not. Therefore, if the animal sleeps while you are sitting with them, that is a huge compliment as it means they see you as a friend and companion, rather than a stranger.

ShereKahn looking regal.

KiKi had to make sure that ShereKahn wasn't about to start the fun without her!

When tigers are happy, they make certain noises, like chuffs and moans, to greet other tigers and even their human caretakers when they are comfortable around them. It didn’t take ShereKahn or KiKi long at all to begin chuffing at me. They would also frequently walk up to the fence near to where I was sitting and rub against it while simultaneously chuffing and moaning; which is comparable to your average domestic house cat when they rub on you and purr. I have now been sitting with these two for two months, and we have come a long way! Now when I head up to see them, I am usually greeted by at least one, if not both of them. They sleep a lot during sits and often will come and do so right along the fence near me. I receive a lot of chuffs and moans and it makes me happy when they rub on the fence where I’m sitting. When it’s a bit cooler they also play with each other, which is extremely entertaining to watch.  It truly is just like a relationship among humans, the more time you spend with them and the more effort you put into the relationship, the more you get out of the relationship. These two will forever hold a special place in my heart!

The perfect sit! I love spending time with these two.

Bone Day

Here at the Sanctuary, every Thursday is bone day! Tigers and lion can eat between 10 and 25 pounds per day while in captivity. This is between 4 and 7% of their body weight. However, we determine the amount of meat they are fed each day based of 2% of their body mass combined with, age, and activity level. The more active an animal is or the more energy they expend to retain their metabolic rate and they younger the animal the more meat they will need to maintain their body size. 

Therefore, the younger and more active an animal is the more they eat.

Nala pampers her bone, loving it until the end.

This is Odin, our lion playing with his bone.
He normally leaves it in pieces on his favorite places to lay, his perches.

 In any given week the a resident feline at IEAS eat about 60 pounds of meat on average. In the wild, after consuming a large meal and because of the scarcity in prey resources they will go through a fasting period while they wait to find and successfully obtain their next food source. Hence, how bone day was created. The goal is to mimic the natural fasting periods of wild lions and tigers. The bones come pre- packaged from a Triple A Brand in Colorado. They contain small amounts of meat and are filled with marrow, their favorite!   

Akbar is savoring his bone before running around his
habitat to find the perfect home for his new gem.

Bones also serve as behavioral enrichment for our residents for they love playing with them. They can be found hiding their  most valued possession in their houses, destroying all of the evidence or taking it for a swim. They have unlimited amounts of fun with their bones, and are still able to instill some of their natural instincts.  

And the most exciting news!!!!
Julia, one of our youngest residents received her first bone last week.
She looks to be loving it.

For more information on this as well as events at IEAS be sure to follow us on Facebook and our website. Or to see their reactions up close and personal, come out for one of our tours offered daily at 11 a.m. and 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturdays. 

Unlikely Friendships are the Best Ones

Here at IEAS, we have a lot of feline friends, but none quite as special as these two.  Billy, our resident caracal, and Barbara, one of our resident servals, reside in our only multi-species habitat.  Billy was abandoned, with his companion Barbara, on the doorstep of a wildlife rehabilitation center in New Mexico.  Staff at the rehabilitation center contacted IEAS and we were able to take in the pair.  Both Billy and Barbara are eleven years old and have been living at the Sanctuary for about seven years.  Although these two are completely different species, they have formed a very unique bond.  They are often seen grooming one another or snuggling up in their igloo together.  

Barbara is one of three servals that call IEAS home.  Servals are native to African savannas where there is plenty of access to water.  Their name is Portuguese for "wolf deer" but they are also nicknamed "giraffe cat" or "savanna stalker."  Throughout history, servals were worshiped by the ancient Egyptians.  Servals are the fastest running cat other than the cheetah and can reach speeds of up to 50 miles per hour.  They are also very effective hunters in the wild, with 50% of their hunts being successful.  Servals are not considered an endangered species, but they still face the threat of habitat loss and the black market fur trade.

Billy is the our only resident caracal at the Sanctuary.  Caracals can range throughout Africa, the Arabian peninsula, and small parts of Southwest Asia.  Their name originated from a Turkish word meaning "black ear" and they are also known as an "African lynx" or a "desert lynx."  Caracals are known for their great sense of hearing and the black tufts of hair at the tip of the ears are iconic for the species.  Their ears are actually controlled by about 20 muscles each.  Due to their good sense of hearing, caracals were once trained for bird hunting in Iran and India.  Caracals are not endangered but can still be threatened by habitat loss.

Please come out and see this precious pair enjoy each other's company on one of our tours!  

IEAS Bears and their Dens!

As you may be aware, the majority of our American black bears live in large, naturalistic habitats in Dorfman Bear Orphanage and our PETA area here at the Sanctuary. Because they have acres to roam, they are able to live out their lives almost as if they were in the wild. Despite the fact that many of them came here as very young cubs, they have still displayed several natural instincts, such as digging dens to sleep in during the winter.

Greta

One such bear, Greta, came to us after being rescued from a photo for profit facility as a cub. Even though she never has been a wild bear, she used her instincts to dig a long-lasting den that lasted her through several winters. Sadly, just as the bears started to become less active for the winter, her den collapsed due to all the rain and recent snow! Fortunately, neither she nor her companions, Scamp and Scooter, were inside when it happened.  Greta once again proved to be self-sufficient as ever, beginning to dig a new den soon after the original one collapsed! She is already enjoying her new winter den. We hope Greta’s new den will last for many more winters to come!

Greta's new den

If you’d like to see Greta and our other bears, feel free to stop by for one of our guided tours, which we provide everyday at 11 and on Saturdays at 3.  If you’re interested in helping support our animals, please visit our How to Help page!

In Loving Memory of Big John

With heavy hearts, we must say goodbye to our oldest feline resident, Big John. He passed away today after just celebrating his 23^rd birthday last Christmas. He was a patient, social tiger who took on a paternal role towards the neighboring cubs, ShereKhan and KiKi, as well as a playful, teasing role towards his Siberian tiger neighbor, Caesar.

IEAS had been Big John’s home for the past 18 years after being rescued from a circus from Spain who had kept him in a small, cramped trailer with other tigers, ponies, and camels. During his time here, he proved himself to be an amazing being, consistently showing great patience with his tiger companions and developing trust with his human caretakers. Though we at IEAS are sad to say our farewell, we are so grateful to have been able to provide this magnificent tiger with the life he deserved for the last part of his life.

IEAS will not be the same without Big John. He will forever live on in our hearts and memories.

IEAS Intern Holiday Bake Sale

IEAS had its first-ever annual Intern Holiday Bake Sale earlier this month, which was organized almost entirely by the IEAS intern team! We are excited to say that we were able to raise $515 to go towards feeding the animals at the Sanctuary! Despite feeding our bears less during the winter because of their reduced activity, we are still going through about 250 pounds of meat every day. Being a nonprofit organization, we are able to pay for the care of these animals strictly through grants and donations. We are so grateful towards Bianca Lewis from Target in Fort Worth, TX for providing the donations that made this bake sale possible! We also want to thank Derek Pranther for allowing us to have our bake sale at Love's Travel Stop off of Highway 114!  We greatly appreciate everyone who came out to support the Sanctuary at our new yearly tradition!
If you missed our bake sale and would like to support the sanctuary in other ways, please visit our How To Help page to learn more ways you could help us provide for our animals!