BETHLEHEM, South Africa (AP) – Four Bengal tigers, rescued from years of captivity in a train carriage in Argentina, have been released into the open in South Africa.
After a more than 70-hour flight from Argentina, tigers emerged from their cages and into outdoor pens at the Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary in the Free State province of central South Africa.
Apparently, out of curiosity about their new homes, the tigers quickly discovered the boundaries of their fenced areas, which are about 80 square metres, and nibbled on bits of cooked meat as a welcome treat.
Dr. said. Amir Khalil, expedition leader and veterinarian.
“I was more excited than the tigers,” he said, adding that the cats are expected to be reluctant to leave their enclosures. “But they got out right away. They wanted to discover the place, smell the grass, and taste it.”
The tigers’ activity, he said, showed that they intended to “defend and secure a new place. So they need some time now to cool off, and they still have a long way to go to learn more about the area and the new lands.”†
The tigers are currently kept as pairs in two separate containers, a plan that appears to be going smoothly so far.
In the coming weeks and months, he said, the tigers will be monitored and given veterinary care.
“We will come here often to feed them, to get them used to all our staff and caretakers, so that they learn what our routine is and when to start relaxing,” he said.
The next step would be to release the tigers into larger enclosures spanning several acres, said Hildegard Berker, director of the Lionsrock Sanctuary, which is home to more than 100 lions, tigers and leopards.
According to Lionsrock, all enclosures include open grassland with shrubs and trees, and sheltered areas where animals can rest and find shelter from the elements. The enclosures are circular and follow the natural shape of the ground, so cats don’t feel like they’re sitting in a corner.
Animals have been rescued from circuses, zoos, entertainment industries and private families from all over the world, including Austria, Bulgaria, Congo, France, Gaza, Germany, Iraq, Jordan, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Switzerland, Syria, the Netherlands and the United States. States. kingdom. The Four Paws have established the Lionsrock Sanctuary in South Africa for big cats and visitors can come and see the animals in their new environment.
