Happy Valentine’s Day to the WAO Animals 

 We could not have asked for a more perfect sunny Valentine’s Day for the animals this year.  The lions, tigers, and bears (and more!) had a wonderful time eating their treats and playing with their enrichment toys.  The bears and monkeys loved the peanuts donated by Roadhouse at the Forum restaurant.  Thank you to everyone who made this event such a success for the animals!   Take a quick peek at just a few pictures taken at the event:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/47590765@N05/sets/72157623450377944/show/with/4364089574/

 Fun and Educational Findings

Tiger Ear Spots

All subspecies of tiger have white spots on the backs of their ears; the reasons for these remain mostly unknown.

It has been speculated that these markings are illusory “eyes” to fool prey; serving to discourage other predators who normally hunt and attack from behind.

Another theory suggests young cubs use these “eyes” to find and follow their mothers in tall grass. When a tigress drops into the stalking position, with ears flattened against her head, making it more difficult for the cubs to follow and ruin the kill.

A more likely theory is that ear spots are a signal of aggression. A tiger under threat will rotate the ears in such a way that the spots can be seen from the front so providing a visual warning.

Take our Tiger Quiz:

Test your tiger knowledge to gauge how well you know theses most magnificent creatures by answering a few True or False questions.  The answers are below the questions.

1.) True or False - Chuffing are friendly vocalizations primarily used for friendly greetings.  

2.) True or False - Tigers use their tails to communicate with one another. 

3.) True or False - Only adult males define the boundary of his territory by spraying urine on trees, boulders, and other natural resources. 

4.)  True or False – Tigers travel in small “prides” and are rarely seen alone. 

5.)  True or False - Tigers are the only large cat species to have distinctive striping located on both the hair and skin of the tiger. 

6.)  True or False – White tigers with black stripes are considered to be “albinos.” 

Answers:

1.)        True

Chuffing are friendly vocalizations that generally consist of a soft “brrr” or “ooffing” sound. These vocalizations are primarily used for greetings between tigers and only audible at close range

2.)       True

Tigers use their tails to communicate with one another. A tiger is relaxed if their tail is loosely hanging. Aggression is displayed by rapidly moving the tail from side to side or by holding it low with occasional intense twitches, much like the domestic house cat behaves when upset. 

3.)        False

Adult males and females both communicate to one another by marking their territories. An adult tiger will usually define the boundary of its territory by spraying urine because of the strong odor associated with it can last up to 40 days but they may also use feces for marking.

4.)        False

Tigers are usually solitary in nature, interacting briefly only for mating purposes and occasionally to share their kill.

5.)   True

      6.)   False

Tigers with white background coloration are not considered albinos. An albino would be pure white in color (no striping) and would have pink or red eyes. White tigers have a recessive gene that causes them to lack dark colors. Therefore they usually have a white color with light to medium brown striping and blue eyes.

Monthly Updates and Happenings at The Wild Animal Orphanage

The Holiday Treat Parties were a success!
Below are some pictures of the animals, exploring their enrichments and treats that were made possible by the community.  Click on the photographs to enlarge!
 

Shirley was amazed and interested in her new tire. It was rubbed down with new scents that she was ready to explore.

Shirley

Mac claimed the new Boomer Ball before Shirley had a chance.

Mac

Loki and Silver enjoyed their treats donated by a local family.

Silver

Bubba received his very first Boomer Ball thanks to the employees from The Bexar County Auditor's Office.

Bubba

Sebastian was excited with his new Boomer ball.

Sebastian

Thanks to the peanut donation from the Roadhouse Restaraunt in The Forum, the primates enjoyed a special treat.

Longtail Macaque

We have increased the quality of the diet we provide to our meat eaters and it is now costing us at least $ 15,000.00 a month for this part of their diet and this cost is only increasing. With the new produce and enrichment diets being introduced to our primates and bears we will be spending much more on the appropriate diets.

IMMEDIATE NEEDS

BEARS

We are requesting donations to make it possible for the immediate move of our bears, which are currently at our Talley Rd facility, from their 10X10 enclosures into much larger areas. It will require at least $ 10,000.00 to complete the addition of the roof to allow us to introduce them into their new homes with vegetation and trees.

LONG TAIL MACAQUES

Along with immediate improvements for the bears, completion of an enclosure at our Talley Road facility will allow us to introduce our long tail macaques (that have called our Leslie Rd facility home) into a more comfortable area with trees and vegetation as well. We are all working very hard to reach these goals and have already taken steps to make this happen. When it is all said and done this project will cost at least $ 5,000.00 for labor alone to complete.

VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED

We are in need of volunteers that can help us with cleanup and fencing. With the help of volunteers, we can complete the many tasks that are in need of completion. Please send us an email if you are interested.

Please help us provide these wonderful animals with more than just the essentials; they deserve to live a more comfortable life than the ones that they have had.

We cannot do this without your help. You are the true saviors of these animals.

Please understand that all donations are deposited into our general funds account unless they are specifically designated.

Thank you, from all of us.