Catching Up Blog Post #2: Tigers for Tomorrow

BLOT: (10 Apr 2016 - 12:09:09 PM)

Catching Up Blog Post #2: Tigers for Tomorrow

It will make sense why this is "catching up #2" when I get around to posting #1, hopefully tomorrow. Just wanted to go back and fill in some gaps I would have, any year before this year, written about and make sure there is some record of them. On April 2, two Saturdays ago, I went down to see Tigers for Tomorrow, in Dekalb County, with Sarah and Maryam. Maryam wanted to see tigers, and I remembered that place being close by. I had no idea what to expect, frankly, but it seemed like it would be fun. We opted for a Private Tour, which is more expensive but allows you to take photographs and have a guide. They do not want you to share photos of the animals, mind you, so I will only share this one, which is a pretty good summation of the day: Maryam (closest to the camera) looking towards the big cats [in this case, a lion], Sarah (furtherest from the camera) talking shop with the tour guide, and me behind the camera sort of doing my own thing and drifting around.

They have a good number of tigers, a trio of lions, a couple of ligers, a few bears [mostly black with one grizzly], some wolves, and a few other assorted animals. Many of the animals are either rescue animals or animals raised in captivity that were transferred to the place where they can have an easier, cared-for life. It is not quite a zoo in a number of ways, but it is also not exactly not-a-zoo. You cannot pet the animals, besides a few goats and a pig and a cow, but you can spend some time looking at them. Some of the animals like to put on a show - the grizzly bear especially - but most kind of do their own thing. If you are looking for an exciting trip with lots of action from the animals, maybe this isn't the place for you, but if you like to go and just appreciate big cats and such, then it is nice.

I don't have much else to say about it, besides that I would recommend it if you are in the area. The non-tour version only costs about $15, I think. I would still recommend you upgrading to the more expensive private tour ($30 per person, minimum of $120) if you are the kind of person who wants to ask about the animals and take photos while in the park. There is also a gift shop you can visit and pick up some souvenirs or make a donation.

To share my four favorite memories, they would be this:

• The grizzly bear (the name escapes me, but maybe Yonah?), was essentially a large puppy that wanted people to pay attention and come closer. Just keep in mind that he was a huge but not yet full grown animals who had this plastic strip/toy that he would slam around to get attention.
• One of the male lions tried to mark me, and I just stepped back to get out of the way in time as the anal sac fluids hit just centimeters from my feet.
• Sarah would occasionally go on tangents while talking to the tour guide, including one about what makes eyes a blue color in certain animals. I have a particularly fun photo of her with a serious face, and you can tell she is in lecture mode.
• Maryam had many bliss-out moments where she would just stare at the animals. The cutest, though, was definitely her petting the goat and then the goat moved in closer to sniff her hair and there is a photo of her pulling back, and you can see just the edge of something like panic starting in her eyes.

If I go again, it will probably be a not-private-tour style, so I can spend more time just wandering my own path. I have enough photos to remember it well by. I will honor their wishes for me to not post them publicly, but if you know me, and have a chance to look at them, just ask. I'll show them to you.

OTHER BLOTS THIS MONTH: April 2016