Located outside Pittsboro near the Haw River, is Carolina Tiger Rescue, a non-profit home for rescued exotic cats. Originally begun in 1973 as the Carnivore Evolutionary Research Institute by UNC geneticist Dr Michael Bleyman as a breeding facility, it later evolved into a rescue sanctuary. Dr Bleymon's original mission was to breed exotic cats which were in danger of extinction. His desire was to maintain a viable breeding operation that might one day save those species from disappearing. By 2000, the species survival plan developed by zoos throughout the world had insured that many species of not just cats would maintain needed breeding populations. He then refocused the mission to that of a rescue sanctuary.
Why do people donate pumpkins here?
We all know cats are carnivores but squash is one food that they will also eat. Thus, CTR also operates as a pumpkin rescue operation. Our visit just happened to occur as discarded Halloween decor was at its peak.
What is this guy eating?
This Lion is eating horse for his dinner today. The sanctuary receives recently deceased donations of horses, cattle and chicken from farms and food processing plants. There are some deer hunters that hunt for the sanctuary. If you hit a deer, you can also bring it to them, but only if you hit it. They don't want roadkill that they can not verify how old it might be. The servals like rats, mice and snakes. We were told a Serval will eat 4500 rats a year. Since almost all the animals here grew up in captivity, they never learned to hunt. So they are served recently deceased meals. One Tiger killed 17 Turkey Vultures in its enclosure but did not eat them. Why would any creature eat a Turkey Vulture? Occasionally, a snake will slip into a pen and get eaten. We did see one Mountain Lion which was rescued from the wild. It still had hunting instincts. There was a very small child in our group which he was particularly interested in. Then, he made a quick rush at her. Of course there were two fences between them, so his hunt was cut short.
This Red Shouldered hawk was checking things out. We were told the Turkey Vultures often scavenge the meal remains in some of the enclosures with open tops. I have seen a Red Shouldered hawk on my trail cam, eating a deer carcass. So maybe this guy is checking out the pickings.
This Serval was pretty active. They can climb, so their enclosures are fully enclosed.
They should form a band
Be prepared to hear some horrendous stories of abuse and neglect. Some cats are bred for petting zoos and personal pets. They have a very short useful life as either. From 6 months on, their aggression increases as does their size. Many are abandoned, dropped off at night at the sanctuary or rescued and seized. Two 6 month old Tigers were spotted on a rural highway near Charlotte. The first couple 911 calls were thought to be pranks. Animal control was dispatched but the Tigers had strayed into the next county, so that county had to deal with them. Each animal we saw on the tour, had a story behind them. None were good. The animals almost always arrive in terrible shape and often sedated. We learned that there are dedicated rescue organizations that specialize in transporting animals. Those trailers you see on the highway that look like a Nascar car might me in them, might have a Lion or Tiger.
Turkey Vultures are tolerated by the cats, except the Tiger that killed 17 of them. They often are seen in the same enclosure as a Lion or Tiger. One was spotted sitting on a Tiger once.
It might surprise you to know that you might be able to own an exotic cat of other exotic animal. North Carolina is one of 4 states that do not have a law prohibiting ownership. Of the 100 counties in the state, 43 do not have a law prohibiting "exotic or inherently dangerous" animals.
