ROAR!! The day I got to pet a tiger.
July 30, 2019
Are you ready to meet some tigers? There are plenty of opportunities at Catty Shack Ranch.
The Ninth Annual International Tiger Day was on July 29. It’s a reminder that these beautiful and majestic beasts are on the verge of extinction.
TIGER FACTS:
- Tigers currently top endangered species list
- During the 20th century, 97 percent of the tiger population was wiped out by poaching, loss of habitat and disappearance of their food sources
- Three of the nine tiger subspecies are already extinct
- In 2006, fewer than 1,500 tigers lived in the wild
According to Catty Shack founder Curt LoGiudice, International Tiger Day is the perfect opportunity to teach our next generation about extinction in the hopes of putting a stop to it.
“Immediately you see how beautiful they are, how majestic they are and mainly how intelligent they are,” LoGiudice said. “These animals, unfortunately, are losing their habitat out in the wild and it’s really a daily basis of loss.”
“Here in the states, tigers are pretty accessible,” LoGiudice said. “So, most people are surprised to hear the wild tiger population disappeared.”
Catty Shack Ranch is the largest big cat sanctuary in North Florida and home to 22 rescued Bengal and Siberian Tigers.
Log on to their Facebook and Instagram pages for an educational series of posts.
If you want to see them up close and in person, you can at Catty Shack Ranch, at 1860 Starratt Rd.
They will have night feedings Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. The doors open at 6 p.m.
If you can’t make it at night, you can always go during the day. They’ll have Thursday and Sunday tours.
Day Tour Adult Tickets are $10, and kids get in for $5. For more information about tickets, click here.
You can also follow Abigail Curran on Facebook to see where the next adventure will be.
