Posts tagged "tiger"

Monday Squee - Baby Girl Shares a Moment With a Zoo Tiger

by Paul Ciampanelli (Subscribe to Paul Ciampanelli's posts): Nov 28th 2011 9:00AM Filed Under: Cats, Animal Sites We Love, Funny Animal Pictures

We've spoken in the past about one of the primary tenants of the Paw Nation Book of Regulations, Edicts & No-Nos (borrowed, of course, from the world-famous Daily Squee Decrees). Specifically, I'm referring to the following rule:

"Never, never attempt to snuggle, cuddle, nuzzle, wuzzle, or otherwise hug or be hugged by any Panthera tigris--also known as tigers--including Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, Siberian, South China, or Sumatran subspecies, or any varieties as yet undiscovered by humans."

That rule is airtight, and we stand by it. Learn it, live it, love it. That being said, I do want to mention that this does not mean that you should think of tigers as your enemies! Tigers are beautiful, majestic creatures--the kings of the jungle (because lions don't live in the jungle, you silly goose). If you should have an opportunity to share a bonding moment with a tiger on a primal level when both your safety and the tiger's safety are assured, you would be a fool to pass it up.

Big Cats Love Laser Pointers

by Paul Ciampanelli (Subscribe to Paul Ciampanelli's posts): Sep 20th 2011 5:00PM Filed Under: Cats, Funny Animal Videos

That feline lightsaber duel from earlier really got me in the mood to see more cats playing with lasers, so here's another great video from Big Cat Rescue. The last time we checked in with BCR, they showed us how the big cats (ie. tigers, lions, leopards and jaguars) are really just like the domesticated cats we have at home. A tiger doesn't look so scary when he's chasing around a giant plastic ball. (Except they really can rip your throat out or eat you alive, so don't get cocky around one.) What other toys that our cats love work just as well on big cats? If you said "laser pointers," you are right! But it's not like you're some kind of genius. It says it right there in the title. Seriously, you are being really cocky today! Settle down.

Big Cats Play With Big Toys

by Paul Ciampanelli (Subscribe to Paul Ciampanelli's posts): Aug 18th 2011 11:00AM Filed Under: Cats, Funny Animal Videos

Big cats. Lions, tigers, jaguars and leopards. The kings of the jungle and whatnot. Think about one. What do you see? Probably something pretty majestic. The magnificent beast sits regally upon some rock or something, the master of all he surveys. He is relaxed, but could strike at any moment. He is fierce and proud. If he could speak, his voice would probably be deep and resonant and demanding of your attention and respect. Like Dennis Haysbert's.

Or maybe your imagination conjures a lion on the hunt. Tearing across the plains in pursuit of some antelope, he snarls, bearing his fangs and his shiny claws. He takes down his prey in a flurry of blood and dust, standing over the kill and roaring his triumph as his pride draws near to feast.

Or alternatively, perhaps the cat you see in your mind is rolling around with a giant plastic doughnut like a big doofus, scuttling the image of the noble beast that those other cats we talked about work so hard to create.

Monday Squee - Swimming Tiger

by Paul Ciampanelli (Subscribe to Paul Ciampanelli's posts): Jul 25th 2011 3:00PM Filed Under: Cats, Funny Animal Pictures

I always thought it was a commonly accepted law of nature that cats hate water. Certainly every cat we had when I was growing up hated it. Get even a drop of the stuff on their fur and they'd freak out. And I guess I always assumed that the fear/hatred of H2O applied to all cats, even big cats. So this image confounds me. Do tigers love to swim? Or is this particular tiger one in a million? A tiger who goes against the grain, and does what he likes, and eff the haters? Maybe he just sticks to the shallow end.

Bird Attacks Zoo Tiger

by Paul Ciampanelli (Subscribe to Paul Ciampanelli's posts): Jul 5th 2011 3:00PM Filed Under: Birds, Cats, Funny Animal Videos

"Oh my god, that tiger will not shut up!"
"Ugh, I know. It's been driving me crazy all day."
"Why don't you do something about it?"
"Ha ha! Like what?"
"Old-school dive bomb!"
"At a tiger? Are you nuts?"
"C'mon, he'll never see you coming. He's way too busy prancing around and putting on a big show for all these slack-jawed spectators. It's the perfect opportunity."
"Why don't you do it yourself if you think it's such a great idea?"
"Because I sprained my beak on Sunday. I'm in no condition to dive-bomb anything."
"Lame excuse."
"Don't be such a wuss! Go show that tiger how scared of a caged animal us free birds are."
"OK, fine! I'll do it. But not because you told me to. I just can't stand listening to him anymore."
"Go!"
...
"Hoooooly crap, did you see that?"
"Dude, that was awesome!"
"Did you see the look on his stupid face when I hit him?"
"That was so awesome!"
"That shut him up!"
"I can't believe you did that! I can't believe you actually just did that!"

Baby Liger - a Lion-Tiger Hybrid - Unveiled at South Carolina Wildlife Reserve

by Jennipher Walters (Subscribe to Jennipher Walters's posts): Nov 9th 2010 4:30PM Filed Under: Cats, Exotic Pets, Pets News

baby liger picture Liger cub with his 900-pound brother and trainer. Splash News

The Myrtle Beach Safari wildlife reserve in South Carolina recently announced the birth of a baby liger, the cross between a male lion and a tigress. The adorable 4-week-old Aries is pictured here peeking out from behind his 8-year-old big brother, Hercules. Aries may look small now, but he is expected to gain almost one pound a day, which will most likely put him at 365 pounds by his first birthday, Dr. Bhagavan Antle, director of The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.), told the (U.K.) Daily Mail.

Aries's older brother weighs in at a whopping 900 pounds, and stands almost 6 feet tall. Talk about a big kitty!

The coupling of a lion and a tiger is uncommon, especially in the wild. Lions are found mostly in Africa, while tigers live in Asia, and both species are extremely territorial. However, Aries and Hercules are a byproduct of T.I.G.E.R.S., which was established to provide funding to international wildlife conservation programs, along with education and field research, according to its website.

While ligers are bigger than both lions and tigers, they also have lighter stripes than tigers and a characteristic heart-shaped head without much of a mane like a lion would have. Hercules's head -- and soon Aries, who they expect to be as large if not larger than his older brother -- is 2 feet and 3 inches across, and his 2-inch claws are the same size as a velociraptor dinosaur, according to the Daily Mail.

Ligers are distinct from tigons, the hybrid of a tiger father and lioness mother. There are even litigons, the hybrid of a male lion and a female tigon.

In the News - Iams Recalls Cat Food, Betty White Launches Fundraising Fashion Line

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts): Jul 29th 2010 12:00PM Filed Under: Exotic Pets, Pets News, Pet Health

betty white Getty Images

Betty White Creates Charitable Clothing Line
This octogenarian isn't only "Hot in Cleveland." She's hot everywhere! In news that won't surprise any of White's fans, she's found yet another way to use her fame to help animals; this time via the medium of fashion. White is launching a line t-shirts and hoodies with her face and name, reports WWD. A portion of the profits will benefit one of the actress's favorite organizations: the Morris Animal Foundation.

Iams Prescription Cat Food Recall
Proctor & Gamble is recalling two lots of Iams prescription cat food due to salmonella concerns, reports the New York Times. The recall includes Iams Veterinary Formulas Feline Renal in 5.5-pound sizes. According to the Iams recall notice: "Consumers who have purchased dry cat food with these codes should discard it. People handling dry pet food can become infected with Salmonella, especially if they have not thoroughly washed their hands after having contact with surfaces exposed to this product." If you're concerned about your health or you pet's health, seek medical advice. For more information including affected lot numbers and UPC codes, go here.

Escaped Tiger in South Africa Has Been Found
What do you do when your pet runs away? If you're Rose Fernandes, and your pet is a tiger, you go on a local radio show and tell people to treat it like a dog. At least, that's what she did when her 310-pound, 17-month-old tiger, Panjo, escaped his enclosure on the way to the vet in South Africa, reports Reuters Africa. Police employed helicopters and microlight aircraft to search for the big cat, which was finally found at a farm, scared and stressed but happy to hear his owner's voice, reports BBC News. While the tiger was on the lam, Fernandes suggested that anybody catching sight of Panjo hold a big stick and loudly say, "No." Also, feeding him meat, particularly chicken, will have him purring like a pussycat in no time. Good to know in case he makes another Houdini-like escape!

Drug-Sniffing Dogs Now Sniffing Out Cell Phones
Finding narcotics is great, but drug-sniffing dogs in Tennessee are adding another skill to their olfactory arsenal: cell-phone sniffing. Prison inmates breaking the law from behind bars via cell has become a major problem, the Tennessean reports, and the Tennessee Department of Corrections hopes that training three dogs to sniff out phones will help them eliminate the problem.

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts): Jun 22nd 2010 3:00PM Filed Under: Pets News, Celebrity Pets

tiger picture AFP / Getty Images

Missing Zoo Animals Found Safe and Sound
A tiger and two camels made international news this weekend when the truck and trailer holding them were stolen while they were being transported to Nova Scotia. Concern was particularly high for Jonas, the 3-year-old tiger, because of the high likelihood of dehydration if he had been kept without water, reports CBC News. Today, however, zoo officials, animals lovers, and the animals themselves are breathing a sigh of relief. The Bowmanville Zoo animals were found in a rural area outside of Montreal, after the police received a tip about their location. Although authorities still don't know who took the animals, they had obviously been cared for as all three seem completely healthy, reports the Toronto Sun.

Singer Tracy Lawrence Reunited With Lost Dog
When Tank, the bulldog Tracy Lawrence got two years ago on Father's Day, disappeared from the country singer's parked truck last week, the entire family was devastated. Luckily, a good Samaritan found Tank a few miles from where he was last seen and returned him on Father's Day, reports PeoplePets. It's still unclear whether Tank took off on his own or if someone snagged him, but right now, everybody is just happy to have him back home.

Kelly Osbourne Buys a Puppy for Her Fiance
Kelly Osbourne has purchased a pooch for her fiance, Luke Worrall, but it wasn't a birthday or anniversary present. Osbourne shelled out for the little furball because she knew Worrall was jealous of the bond she shared with her dog, Sid, reports PlanetRadioCity.com. So how is that working out? Although Worrall is loving the little fella, it appears Osbourne is just as smitten, meaning Worrall has yet another adorable face to compete with. We don't think that's how Osbourne planned it, but it looks like she wins either way!

Chew on This: Baboons Hitting the Sauce, Crazy Sea Creatures and More

by Evan Jacobs (Subscribe to Evan Jacobs's posts): Apr 2nd 2010 5:00PM Filed Under: Chew on This

Rounding up our favorite animal stories, photos, and videos on the Web each week. This week, it's a special super-sized edition of Chew on This!

Wild Baboons Love The Wine Country

In South Africa, baboons have been raiding vineyards and getting drunk on fermented grapes. Worse, it's really cutting down on wine for the rest of us. [via Discovery News]
Sure, All God's Creatures Are Beautiful

We love animals. All animals. Except creepy monsters who live on the bottom of the ocean, which is basically what the isopod, a 14-legged carnivore, is.[via New York Magazine]
Rescue At The Zoo

Firefighters in San Francisco were called to rescue a stuck cat. Nothing unusual, right? Well, this one turned out to be a 360-pound tiger. [via San Francisco Chronicle]
Friskies or the Sixties?

Slate gets the story behind the totally psychedelic new Friskies commercials. [via Slate]
Born a Travelin' Stork

A lovelorn stork travels 8000 miles to meet his significant other. Unfortunately, the baby the stork was delivering was not pleased by the delay. [via Tonic]
Ghosts of Raccoons Past

To deal with his raccoon infestation, a man decides to give the raccoon-ghost whisperer a try... [via Los Angeles Times]
Bobcat Turned Squatter

A bobcat strolls into a home in Washington and decides to stay a while. "Uhh... sure... have a seat. I guess... I'll go get you some milk." [via Washington Post]
Om Nom Nom Nom

What's cuter than cute animals? Cute animals chowing down. Daily Squee has your adorable fix of elephants, puppies and more nibbling away. [via Daily Squee]

NOLA Dog Reunion; Cats on Campus

by Evan Jacobs (Subscribe to Evan Jacobs's posts): Feb 19th 2010 6:00PM Filed Under: Chew on This

Rounding up our favorite photos, entertaining videos and compelling animal stories from the Web this week!

Jazzy Reunion

A man lost his dog, went 1200 miles to New Orleans, and discovered that his pooch was already there. The dog's excuse? Mardi Gras! [via NOLA.com]
Mini-Horse Diaries

"What do you mean other horses don't get to sleep on the sofa?" [via People Pets]
Felinvasion!

Feral cats have taken over Penn State's campus -- soon they'll be auditing classes. [via Collegian.PSU.edu]
Happy New Year Tiger?

The New York Times' take on the Year of the Tiger. Spoiler alert: It's grim for tigers. [via New York Times]
Rye Ruv Roo

Videos of five pets saying "I love you," Were they just too cheap to buy Valentine's cards? [via People Pets]

5 Endangered Species and How You Can Help

by Paw Nation Staff (Subscribe to Paw Nation Staff's posts): Feb 9th 2010 2:24PM Filed Under: Exotic Pets, Pets News

catlovers, Flickr

We all have our favorite animals, but some species need our help more than others. Are you ready to lend a paw?

Tiger
It's hard to imagine a more iconic and recognizable species than the tiger. They are top predators, keeping the food chain balanced. Tigers are famous for their strength and power, reportedly covering up to 10 meters in a single horizontal leap. Yet only 3,200 tigers may be left in the wild, and their original roaming areas have decreased by 40 percent in the past ten years.

Deforestation and poaching are the chief culprits behind the tigers becoming endangered mammals. You can help by contributing to the Save the Tiger fund, a program of the National Fish and Wildlife Federation.

Magellanic Penguin
Penguins: Their social nature and waddling gait endears them to animal lovers worldwide. Unfortunately, 12 of the 17 penguin species are experiencing population declines. Why? Magellanic penguins, which live in South American waters, have faced a host of obstacles -- first, oil spills, and more recently, a loss of the fish they eat due to rising temperatures of ocean water.

Defenders of Wildlife sponsors a program which enables you to adopt a penguin, with funds going towards programs to help this endangered species.

Oh My! Lion, Tiger and Bear are Best of Friends

by Kirsten Taylor (Subscribe to Kirsten Taylor's posts): Dec 11th 2009 4:30PM Filed Under: Exotic Pets

Tiger, Lion & Bear picture Fame Pictures

Last month, stepbrothers Shere Khan, Leo and Baloo moved into a new home together. Nothing unusual there, except that Shere Khan is a tiger, Leo a lion, and Baloo an American black bear. Oh my!

Police discovered the threesome in the back of a car during a drug bust in Atlanta in 2001. The animals, then just fuzzy cubs around two months old, were apparently being kept as pets by drug kingpins. After their rescue, they were sent to Noah's Ark Animal Rehabilition Center, an animal refuge in Locust Grove, Georgia, Noah's Ark's assistant director Diane Smith told Paw Nation.

"They got along so well as babies, they decided to keep them together," Smith told Paw Nation. Eight years on, the unlikely trio remains inseparable, eating, sleeping and romping together around their new enclosure. "I guess no one's ever told them they're different species," Smith said.

Shere Khan and Baloo are particularly close, she said, and the 350-pound tiger can often be seen nuzzling the half-ton bear like an overgrown housecat. Shere Khan and Baloo often get up early to play while Leo, a typical lion, spends most of the day sleeping. Once Leo finally rolls out of bed, the three spend the afternoons together.

The animals are still adjusting to their new enclosure, where, for the first time, they are on display to the visiting public. It has taken Shere Khan a while to get used to the new space, Smith said, but he's coming around -- especially with his buddies Leo and Baloo around for support. The new digs includes a sturdy wooden clubhouse where all three animals sleep together.

Noah's Ark staff hope to eventually expand the habitat to include a creek that runs behind their current enclosure. (Baloo and Shere Khan particularly like to splash around in the water.)

"They really do enjoy each other's company," Smith added. "They interact just like brothers."

To feast your eyes on more Shere Khan-Leo-Baloo adorableness -- including painfully cute baby pictures -- visit their Facebook fan page.

Tiger Found in Puppy Mill Now Sanctuary Star

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts): Jul 9th 2009 9:00AM Filed Under: Exotic Pets, Pets News

With some TLC, soon Sheena will look as healthy as this Bengal. Photo: law_keven, Flickr

Back in February, a Bengal tiger named Sheena was found in a Missouri puppy mill. She weighed around 175 pounds (she should have been closer to 400) and was surviving in a small pen littered with feces, urine, and dog corpses. A small amount of dog food and a couple of possums were tossed into the cage as well.

Among Sheena's health problems were boils on her paws and tongue, unexplained wounds, poor posture due in some part to the fact that she was declawed, along with vision problems. When first brought to the National Tiger Sanctuary near Bloomsdale, Missouri, she was afraid to go outside. She was also eating 25 pounds of food a day and was very aggressive when eating.

Five months later, Sheena's a new tiger. For the first time in her nine years Sheena is experiencing life among other tigers. Her posture and vision issues are improving, and she's put on weight, now eating a healthy 7 lbs a day. Formerly afraid of humans, she now runs up to see her favorite people and rubs on the fence for attention. Naturally, Sheena has become the sanctuary's star attraction.

If you're in Missouri you can visit Sheena and her other sanctuary playmates. If you're not, consider "adopting" one of the sanctuary's many big cats.

Woman Shares Home With Lions, Tigers and Cheetahs - Oh My!

by Kristen Seymour (Subscribe to Kristen Seymour's posts): Jul 2nd 2009 12:00PM Filed Under: Exotic Pets

Raina Van Nieuwenhuizen with pet Lions, Tiger cubs picture

Photo: BARM / Fame Pictures

How many times have you watched wildlife documentary footage of sleeping lions and dreamt of snuggling up with one of them? Of course, all it takes is a scene of the same big cats ripping apart a water buffalo and that desire tends to disappear. But it sure hasn't deterred one woman in South Africa, who disregards any concerns about living amongst the ferocious felines and lets 11 big cats live in her home.

Riana Van Nieuwenhuizen shares her living space with four orphaned cheetahs, five lions and two tigers. And when we say share, we mean share: They climb in bed with her, prowl on her countertops, steal table scraps, and do many of the other things a typical house cat would do. In fact, they even play with her (small) dogs, and curl up with the pooches when it's time to snooze.

Van Nieuwenhuizen didn't just start bringing big cats into her home for fun -- she's working to prevent the extinction of these animals through Fiela's Fund Cheetah Breeding Project after being involved in "Friends of the Zoo" for over a decade. Van Nieuwenhuizen's first tame cheetah Fiela (born in January 2006) acts as a sort of animal ambassador to educate people about the endangered animals.

Michael Jackson's Chimp Bubbles and Other Animal Pals

by Paul Ciampanelli (Subscribe to Paul Ciampanelli's posts): Jun 30th 2009 4:00PM Filed Under: Exotic Pets, Celebrity Pets

MIchael Jackson with his chimp Bubbles picture

Photo: GAB Archive, Redferns / Getty Images

Michael Jackson's death last week has left fans with questions regarding all aspects of the singer's life. Pet lovers in particular may wonder about the fate of Jackson's menagerie of exotic animals, especially the most famous of them all: Bubbles the chimp.

Bubbles, of all of Jackson's pets, was probably the closest to Jackson. His 1985 adoption of the chimp from a Texas research facility, and the subsequent bond between man and ape became a key part of the singer's eccentric persona. Bubbles often was seen at Jackson's side as a member of Jackson's entourage during the peak of the entertainer's fame in the 1980s. He attended concerts, album recording sessions, and tea parties at Elizabeth Taylor's house. That is, when he wasn't kicking it in high style at Jackson's Neverland ranch, practicing his moonwalk.

Now in his mid-twenties, Bubbles still lives a stylish life, although much less in the blinding spotlight of his glitzy early years. As he matured, Bubbles became too aggressive for domestic life with the Jackson family and was given to a California-based animal trainer who later entrusted the chimp's care to the Center for Great Apes, a sanctuary for "retired" apes in Wauchula, Florida, where he resides today.