Houseful Of Cats: Woman Raises Lions, Leopard In Home. Thinks of them as her children.

Sorry if this is in the wrong section, didn't really know where else to put this.

So what do you guys think? Is this woman and her husband doing a good thing caring for and nurturing these animals like this? Or is she hurting them in the long run? From what I've seen in the past, trying to tame wild animals (Especially large cats) usually ends with either the owner or the animal dead. As noted in the video, someone states that since these animals have been "trained", they are pretty much stuck in captivation, as they'd die in the wild.

It's certainly hard to not get close to animals you nurse back to health and as much as I love them I know they are still wild animals and being cats makes it a certainty at some time you're going to be mauled or killed. Even housecats will usually just go off everyone once in a while, it's in their makeup.
That said, I'm envious. And since we all have to go sometime might as well go doing something worthwhile.

reply to post by ItzShadyT

I live in South Africa so I'm not unfamiliar with scenes like this,there are many small private conservation outfits like these in my country.The weekend before last I sat 3 meters away from Siberian Tiger whelps being bottle-fed at this lovely facility:


www.cradleoflife.com...
We went on a game drive also,to their big cat area,which is lovely,there were some nice Russian tourists along+it is a great feeling to see people who have never experienced these animals,enjoy them so much.For kids it is an excellent and unforgettable experience too,and very educational. (I smiled as a young Russian woman sitting behind us translated for her family,that some of the tigers at this facility came from Mama Russka,as a matter of fact)Also at this facility one finds some of the famous white lions of Timbavati-amazing and unique animals to be preserved at all costs.It is easy to sense the genuine love,apprecation and absolute determination of the staff to protect and nurture all the species in their care-one great place,with dedicated and superb staff.

One must understand one thing well,though,if you want to maintain a small preserve like Anel Snyman and Sean Weber is doing,really anyone who runs this kind of set-up,including Cradle of Life staff-your passion may end in your demise.I got the sense that the staff of Cradle of Life were all well aware of this.You can take an animal out of the wild,but you can never take the wild out of an animal,never completely.Anel should bear in mind that even though she raised these magnificent animals herself-they are predators,wild animals.Even playing can accidentally turn deadly for the human,just by virtue of these animals' sheer strenght.
As an owner and great lover of Danes,I can attest that the sweetest-natured animal can send one flying,just through not having a concept of it's strength,without one bit of desire to hurt,even.
Still I think deep down she must be aware of the risk,but has obviously decided to not let fear of that overrule what she wants to dedicate her life to.
Thing is,with drought and poachers as Huge threats to African wildlife,one day this may be the only place we can still be close to animals like these,see then in real life,as opposed to doccies on TV.

Sean is correct in saying that the future generation of wildlife preservers will come from kids who come to places like this outfit he and Anel is running.Because here it is Real,it comes to life like it never can on even the most brilliant doccie.Here kids and young people get to see all the aspects of wildlife preservation,on these "working farms" so as to speak-including the practical difficulties,the real life problems-and that this is a vocation,and a vocation that takes up a large chunk of one's life.Not a glam job,or a 9-5 one.

I definitely do not think it is a case of "using the animals for money" South African people tend to be down to earth and still more in touch with the earth and it's creatures-and I am sure if Anel was using the animals simply to make money,she would not take her life into her hands by actively interacting with the big cats the way she is doing,She could have sat in an office,and ran the show while others risked life and limb,after all.

reply to post by Asktheanimals

I absolutely agree:imo devoting one's life to something as noble as this,may bring death,but we all have to go,and in comparison to cancer or being murdered by a vile human,that would be a good death,even if painful.Very few have the luxury of dying in their sleep.

Every now and again we hear of a pet dog that kills their owner. We don't hear of pet cats doing the same because quite frankly they are too small, but they do injure humans.

We do not here of all that many deaths from Big Cats but they all make the news in a big way.

Are they dangerous, yes they are. Can they be tamed, well, no but they can live with us. This is proof of that as was the story of Christian.

For those who have not seen and those that think this is an awesome story



P

reply to post by pheonix358


that is a truly beautiful story....nice... thanks for sharing

Image what it smells like.

I know what it smells like when you get near the cat house at the zoo.

I hate the smell of cat pee.

That video is awesome! It is the coolest thing I have seen in ages. Makes me even angrier to know people mistreat and poach them.

Nice story, but after seeing the documentary about this incident the other night, i can't help thinking about when things go wrong.

en.wikipedia.org...

The documentary said that 1% of India's tiger population was killed that day.

CX.

I'm saying. I respect these people for what they're trying to do and all, but sometimes you just gotta let nature run it's course, ya know? And like that dude in the video said, these cat's can never be released to the wild. Kinda sad that they're confined to a cage for the rest of most of they're life.