This is how I feel.  Howie will edit for what I can say I feel.

Some of you think I’ve lost my mind, or lost my way, and have asked me to explain why we would accept Manny Jaguar and Nat Leopard from a zoo and not require them to get out of the exotic cat business.  I wish I could say this in a sound byte, that’s easy to share with those asking you this question, but like most things that are important, it just can’t be explained without painting the full picture.

 

My goal is a world where all wildcats live free.  This partnership with an AZA accredited zoo is the next step toward that goal.

 

Big Cat Rescue has been no stranger to controversy and despite our small size and budget we have been able to transform the entire industry of captive breeding wild cats.  We were the first to speak out against the practice of inbreeding to create white tigers and white lions and it took more than 12 years, but the AZA finally banned the practice of inbreeding to create color morphs in 2011.

 

One of the internally controversial things we did to accomplish this was to rescue a white tiger.  It had always been our policy to let the other sanctuaries, who fight to get the white cats, take them so we could save space for the normal colored cats.  By having Zabu here though, I think we have been able to do more education on the topic, than we might have without her.

 

At Big Cat Rescue we are always on the leading edge of technology and social platforms to find better ways to reach people with our message.  We are investing into virtual reality in the hopes that we can create an immersive experience where people can learn about the necessity of big cats in the protection of eco-systems.  By filming these cats, who are doomed to live the rest of their lives in cages, we can create interactive learning experiences, that will help people understand that breeding cats for life in prison hasn’t kept them from nearing the brink of extinction and never will.

 

AZA accredited zoos have a role in conservation that could be huge; but they haven’t embraced it yet.  Just like the white tiger issue, I think they need to see the public adopt a mindset first, before they will risk the status quo.  We want to be so successful with the virtual reality project that zoos invest their much larger resources into transforming themselves into exciting learning venues that do not use real wild cats as props.  When they begin to make those transitions, they will need to do something with their wild animals, and we want GFAS accredited sanctuaries to have a solid relationship with them as that time approaches.

 

I cruised by slowly enough to determine if there was a life to save

and there clearly wasn’t.

 

Selfish Me said, “Don’t stop for this one.  You have other pressing obligations.  The vultures will finish their work soon anyway.”

 

Selfless Me said, “You have to stop.  Vultures! Really? You’d let vultures continue that?”

 

Selfish Me said, “It’s six lanes of fast moving traffic.  You’re going to get yourself killed, and for what? She’s gone.  Keep driving.”

 

Selfless Me said, “It’s always this way; fast traffic, no where to safely pull over, a long walk from where you can park, and yet, you know it’s the right thing to do.”

 

Selfish Me said, “You know you don’t want to see that carnage up close.  It’s going to give you nightmares to replay the sight you are going to witness.  You won’t be able to forget the helplessness you’ll feel when you pick up that lifeless body.  It’s just going to torment you to re-live her last moments again, and again and again.”

 

Selfless Me said, “It hasn’t killed you yet.  You’ve seen and experienced some horrific stuff by making sure they aren’t left on the road.  Besides, you know that what will torment you more, would be to drive on by and do nothing.”

 

By the second cut in the median I had turned around and went back.  I always keep gloves and plastic bags in my truck because I haven’t left a dead cat on the roa