I think I saw a putty-cat! I went to The San Diego Safari Park to practice with my new camera, but I got kinda distracted by these little guys. I think this one wanted to come home with me……or else he wanted to eat something right past my ear.
Meet the tiger cubs. One cub was brought to the park from The National Zoo after it was rejected by its mother and the other was confiscated at the San Diego/Mexican border by patrol agents when it was seven weeks old. One is a Bengal Tiger and the other a Sumatran. There are less than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild.
This wasn’t a fair test of my new RX10 camera because I had to shoot through-multi inch tempered scratched glass, but who cares, these guys were too amazing to pass up and I knew you would like to see them! I can show you some fair test shots later. Now, it’s tiger time.
The cubs are living in a 5.2 acre outdoor tiger habitat with a river running through it, a waterfall, grass, trees, multiple levels and hiding places, and real dirt to roll in. It cost $19.5 million dollars to build. The cubs are growing up together and thriving. Check out this video of the day they were introduced to each other which was filmed with no glass obstructions:
There are other tigers in the habitat too, like this guy, who likes his bone. Doggies get grumpy when you take their bone. I wouldn’t want to try taking this guy’s bone away! He seemed to think I might want to!
There are only 3,890 tigers left in the wild. In 1900 there were an estimated 100,000.
This past year is the first time there has been an actual modest increase in the wild tiger population since 1900, which proves that conservation efforts can work if they are supported.
It would be a worldwide disgrace if the only tigers left in the world lived in zoos.
Cheers to you from the earth’s last remaining magnificent tigers~
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Awesome photos, Cindy. 🙂
Thanks Ranu, they are awesome creatures! 🐯
I love this post, Cindy <3
Tiger's are so amazing animals.
They are like birds, so beautiful it’s hard to comprehend~ 🐯
So beautiful, look at the size of those paws! Incredible animals, amazing photos!
The paws are incredible aren’t they! I touched a lion cub’s paw once at The San Diego Zoo and I have never gotten over the experience! 🐯
They are amazing creatures, so beautiful
<3 <3
What majestic animals. Stunning photos. Sad that they are endangered.
We humans need to stop killing things. This seems like a no brainer doesn’t it! 🐯
Extraordinary creatures! Thank you for taking me along!! ❤️🐅
Thank you more for appreciating the 🐯🐯!
These are gorgeous photos–especially the close-ups of their lovely faces. Those expressive eyes! I was glad to read they have a large habitat at the zoo that replicates their natural home.
Yes, seeing animals like these in concrete boxes is depressing. 🐯
The cubs are so very cute. I agree it would be a terrible crime if their numbers reduced any further 🐯 in the wild.
It would be a crime and I hope we have learned from all of our past mistakes. 🐯
Amazing shots Cindy, so lovely to see these beautiful creatures up close :o) xxx
Yes, being eye to eye with them is amazing. They look directly into your eyes! 🐯
Thank you for a wonderful post and photos of these awesome tigers.
Some humans seem to like to kill the most beautiful creatures on this planet. Maybe they are jealous of them. 🐯
Just beautiful creatures – those eyes are rather piercing. I would not mess with him either 🙂
No way! I would be justifiably terrified to meet these guys in the jungle. 🐯
Thank you for taking us there! The cubs are too adorable 🙂
Such amazing creatures. My head can’t get around the person who tried to smuggle one across the border. 🐯
As always, thank you Cindy for taking us on your trip! Magnificent creatures.
There is a person who lives in The Holler that has a personal zoo. I heard through the grapevine that his tiger once escaped. It would really get my blood pressure up to encounter a tiger on a Holler walkabout! 🐯
Oh dear Lord, yes! May the zoo be always secure!
Amen! 🐯
Glorious creatures and a great zoo, although I detest animals not being free. But as you point out, they have acres to roam and build their territory.
The Safari Park is a model for zoo improvement. No concrete cages, but free open spaces, outdoors where animals roam in a park like setting. It isn’t freedom but it is much better than a zoo.
Too cute for words, Cindy! Magnificent photos and wonderful news about the slight increase in their numbers worldwide! Yippee!! 😀😀
Yes! We really need some good news regarding endangered wildlife on this planet. 🐯
They are gorgeous – little, magnificent wonders.
“Little, magnificent, wonders…” Love this perfect descriptor! 🐯
Wow!! Thank you for give us the pleasure of seeing them, Cindy. 🙂
The video is awesome!
The video is awesome and I am so happy these abandoned cubs get to grow up together. 🐯
💖💓
A great job of photographing these amazing creatures.
Thank you, they are so gorgeous their beauty overcomes the very thick glass. 🐯
San Diegans have been following their progress! So glad you got to see them at the Safari Park.
The park is practically in The Holler’s backyard, so I hope to watch them grow. 🐯
That tiger with the bone seemed to say: “Go ahead, make my day…”
Laughing….Exactly!!! 🐯
Ohhhhhhh <3
Tiger love! 🐯
Yes <3
Love the look on the big guy’s face… “She wouldn’t dare!!!”
In fact, love them all 🙂 And then I look at my’ miniature’, trying to explain to me she wants the door opened, hunting time – such similar expressions… What a lovely start for your new camera <3
Yes, our little tiny domestic kitties are all 🐯🐯 at <3 !
😀
Cindy, a time will come when all we will have left of these beautiful cats are photos like yours.
I fear you may well be correct. Unlike wild creatures, some humans seem incapable of learning. 🐯
What a magnificent animal, they are. I’m glad to hear they are having some success in bringing up their numbers.
Leslie
Yes, I was very pleased to be able to report this population gain for the first time in over 100 years!
Good news indeed, Cindy.
Leslie
<3 🐯
You captured their personalities – you have a knack for doing that! These are important pictures for so many reasons – especially in light of those population numbers! The video was precious too. The bopping on the head behavior happens in dogs too lol. Just this weekend Henry who was visiting did that to Link a lot lol. These are practice pics?!!! Amazing work! Thank you Cindy!
I love people who love all creatures great & small. The 🐯🐯 and I thank you!
Magnificent creatures! A powerful totem, too. 🙂
It is abysmal that only 4% are left in the wild. 🙁
Yes it is particularly abysmal because some people don’t care and these are the people that allow their destruction to continue.
What stunning creatures! Still, did you see the size of their paws … and their claws?! I’d be terrified to come face to face with such a cat, but I’m glad you captured their pictures for us. And how wonderful that conservation is working to boost their numbers!
A tiger hidden in a jungle would be a truly terrifying creature to encounter unaware on a path. People who live amongst them often wear masks on the back of their heads since tigers like to attack from behind. Still the most terrifying creature of them all are humans, since we are killing off the wild tigers.
I love this, Cindy, as well as your continued support of our wild habitat and all its denizens. And I want that job at the zoo – baby animal caretaker!
Yes, it is a pretty amazing job! My son did a stint at CRES (Center on Research on Endangered Species) which is part of the park. He got to monitor baby cheetahs on display, and was very moved by a tiger dying of old age in the Veterinary Clinic. You can volunteer to work at the park and at other conservation parks if you have the time and inclination. 🐯
That’s wonderful. ‘m so glad your son got the opportunity. It’s priceless.
<3 🐯
Amazing photos, Cindy. 🙂
Merci beaucoup mon ami! 🐯
Love these guys. Wonderful captures through the glass Cindy. I felt real (too) close ☺️
It is amazing the photos came out considering the thickness and scratches on the glass. Interestingly, the scratches were on the human side of the glass, not the other way around! 🐯
Now that IS interesting 😣
Aren’t they magnificent!
“Whose immortal hand or eye could frame thy fearful symmetry….”
I feel completely soppy about these two.
You and me both. Watching them play is just so enchanting…. 🐯
Beautiful! Is the whiter one the Sumatran? It’s a pity wild tigers and elephants have difficulty cohabitating with humans, particularly in India. Such beautiful animals.
Sumatrans are the smallest tigers in the world and there are only 300 of them left in the wild which is incomprehensible to me. Here are descriptors of the differences:
https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-difference-between-the-Sumatran-tiger-and-the-Bengal-tiger
Thank you.
🐾
🐾
Fantastic photos!
Thank you. The fantastic beasts made them so! 🐯
Magnificent shots! It’s so good that they are increasing in numbers! Conservation… yes! 🙂
Conservation YES! Amen 🐯
Magnificent indeed! <3 xo
All creatures wise and wonderful! 🐯
I love the kitties too!
Big, loveable kitty-kats! 🐯
Incredibly beautiful pics!
Incredibly kind of you to say! <3
Your new camera is amazing, Cindy. Thank you for taking photos of these incredibly beautiful creatures and sharing them with us. Such a sad state of our world that so many species are endangered.
Yes it is and too many people don’t care. 🐯
Aww beautiful!! I love tigers!!
They are just absolutely gorgeous aren’t they. 🐯
hehehe yes!! 😉
<3 🐯
They are my favorite cats, well, also the snow leopard and all other cats as well, LOL. This is such a wonderful post. Beautiful, uplifting and just adorable. Thank you so much Cindy.
It is so incredibly good to hear there was a small increase in the wild population in the past year! The first in such a long time. I hope it continues. 🐯
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The tiger with the bone…. when I first scrolled upon the image I thought ooooooo Shere Kahn. LOL
Oh my YES!!!! He is looking at me just like that!
“Don’t even think about getting close to me lady……..”
“Trust me, Shere Khan, I won’t!”
Laughing……
They are cute but I think I like cat much better 🙂
Great shots from your new camera!
Your yellow cat may not appreciate the big striped cat……… 🐯
Cheers to you and your capturing of these beautiful creatures. Loved the video … but OMG – the size of the paws on the youngsters!
I know it. The power and mass of these creatures is nothing short of amazing…. 🐯
And a big purr to you, Cindy, for both your photos and your message. –Curt
I know, and am glad to know, that with you, I am preaching to the choir….. 🐯
Absolutely.
<3
What a great set of tiger photos.
Thank you. They are irresistible creatures and I am grateful my camera was able to capture that quality. 🐯
Loved your post, Cindy. Beautiful images with your new camera. Big cats are such amazing creatures. Your info about their new habitat beyond the wild, with a waterfall, hiding places and real dirt made me happy for them. <3
Yes, I hear you. Zoos with cages will hopefully become a distant memory and wild life parks the norm. Of course protection in the wild is the best solution.
I agree with you that protection in the wild is the best solution, but the way the world is going in certain countries, greed and the money factor prevails, which is very sad. I still remember that big stink in the news where a dentist in States posted photos of his kill of a majestic lion. 🙁
He had a house full of trophies of endangered and exotic animals he killed. As long as people like this are running around with rifles and no conscience, we do need conservation parks. Can you imagine that guy with a dental drill in your mouth???? Yikes!
Yikes, for sure. Conservation parks are wonderful when managed well. 🙂
🐯🐯🐯
Cindy, it is already a disgrace. Yet, even more disgraceful is that there are people who do not give a s&*^ & would easily, very easily, for a few bucks delete all tigers. I’m not sure how humanity can protect these sweet kittens from total annihilation outside of zoos, as humans are involved in the equation. Yet, I hope!
I hear, and agree completely with everything you are saying. Humans are without a doubt the most harmful creatures on this planet and I wish we would finally, stop it already!
Gorgeousphotos of the magestic cats.
The 🐯🐯 and I thank you very much!
You’re welcome.
<3
They are all so beautiful! Thank you Cindy for sharing this with us!
Thank you more for appreciating the 🐯🐯!