Bagheera - A Story of Rescue to Refuge for NWA Gives
Named after the black cat in the classic Jungle Book story, Bagheera (buh-gee-ruh) the jaguar was rescued by Turpentine Creek from the Oklahoma Tiger King Park in 2021. Until now, Bagheera has lived at TCWR as a witness protection animal; due to our 30 years of cooperation with law enforcement and government officials, we have honored the need to keep details of this rescue private. With the case finally over, we can now share more about his journey from Rescue to Refuge.
We cannot be certain what Bagheera’s life was like before he arrived at TCWR, but we do know that it wasn’t a life in a grassy habitat where he could play with toys, swim in a pool, or sprint across raised platforms to replicate a jungle experience. At the Tiger King Park, Bagheera (a solitary animal) shared his 20’x40’ space with two white lionesses (social animals). The enclosure was barren, with a substrate of compacted sand. The much larger lionesses most likely tormented Bagheera; he stuck to a corner for safety and had hair loss on his hindquarters. The hair loss could have been the lioness pulling his hair out, or more likely, stressing him out so much that he did it to himself as a pacifying behavior often referred to as plucking.
In a recent visit to TCWR, Government Officials observed that by simply providing Bagheera with his own enclosure, his stress decreased and his hair grew back on his hindquarters. He also was originally aggressive towards cameras - no doubt a sign that he was exploited for the cub petting and pay-to-play industries in the past. Now, our photographer is able to take pictures and videos of him while he shows off by running after his toys. He loves his toys so much that he is notorious for collecting them all from his habitat and hoarding them inside of his night house. This is likely the result of him having lived with the two bullies at Tiger King Park and never having the opportunity to play with his own toys or enjoy enrichment without being outnumbered.
Bagheera’s story is an example of the mental transformation that occurs post-rescue. Bringing an animal out of a bad situation and back to the Refuge is just the beginning. To completely “rescue” an animal and maximize their welfare includes addressing both their physical and mental trauma. Our Animal Care Team works hard to restore trust and provide the animals with proper care for the rest of their lives. Through your ongoing support, we can continue transforming the lives of the animals we rescue.
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NWA Gives Arkansas Hospitality Association
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Quality Engineer/Chemist/Supplier Management
3moAmazing work, and the animals live their new homes