What a Tiger Sees

Your organization has tracked 530 attacks by big cats since 1990. That seems like a pretty high number. Why so many?
These attacks seem to increase each year. It's shocking to the average person. But there are no federal laws that regulate tigers or big cats. The most obvious problem is that they eat things the size of people. These are killing machines; they are predators, and almost everything about them is designed to hunt and kill. It's incredibly difficult to house and safely cage a 600-pound tiger.

Your organization often rescues tigers from private ownership. What drives people to own these animals, which pose a pretty big safety risk?
It's an ego thing. It's a desire for someone to have something that makes them unique. They have a tendency to collect many animals. It's hard for people to stop—especially if you've raised some of the animals from a cub. It makes them very popular; everyone wants to see the tiger cub and play with it. But when the animal reaches sexual maturity, then one day you can't handle them anymore, and that's when the problems start.

You often work with mature tigers. Do you ever get scared?
Absolutely. We have over a dozen, and it's a risk to work with them. Just being complacent around them could get you killed. Every day you have to be on your toes, no matter how docile they seem.

© 2007