Wild Photos & Stories
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African Lion:
Anthony arrived on: 4/26/2011
Anthony's tragic start began at a zoo in West Virginia where he was bred to be used for photo opportunities. Probably due to his physical abnormalities, the zoo sent the baby cub to Missouri to be sold at an exotic animal auction. He was then purchased illegally by a dog breeder from Washington that intended to resell him to a man in Canada. Fotunately, KOTW was able to intervene and now Anthony has a life-long home and a new best friend named Riley.
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African Lion:
Sultan arrived 10/11/2001
Sultan arrived with his tiger friend, Bengali. Sultan was only 4 months old and being taken to an "auction". The big cats are often sold at these "auctions" to people that want to raise them for illegal trophy hunts or "canned" hunts.
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Bengal Tiger:
Apollo – arrived 6-28-2008
Brought to us from Oklahoma. He was primarily used for photo opportunities. By USDA standards, big cats can no longer work with the public once they become 6 months of age or weigh 80 pounds. Having avoided euthanasia, he has a happy home here at Keepers of the Wild.
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Bengal Tiger:
Bengali– arrived 10-11-2001
Bengali was only 4 moths old and being taken to an auction. Big cats are often sold at these "auctions" to people that want to raise them for illegal trophy hunts or "canned" hunts.
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Bengal Tiger:
Grace – arrived 11-29-2003
Came from a breeding facility for tigers. After being used for photo opportunities in a traveling show, she was donated to Keepers of the Wild.
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Bengal Tiger:
Malachi– arrived 12-4-2006
He came to us as a 7 month-old tiger cub that was used for photo opportunities. Once tigers reach a certain age where authorities and the law deem them dangerous, they are no longer useful for photo opportunities and are sold as pets, auctioned for "canned hunts" or euthanized so that new cubs can be bred and used.
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Bengal Tiger:
Marilyn – arrived 12-4-2006
Marilyn arrived at Keepers as a 7 month old cub that had been used as a photo opportunity cat. Once tigers reach a certain age, authorities and the law deem them dangerous to the public. They are no longer profitable to the owners/exhibitors and are sold as pets. Most of the times they are auctioned off for “canned hunts” for trophy kills or euthanized, so new cubs can be bred and used.
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Bengal Tiger:
Millie – arrived 12-4-2006
Millie arrived at Keepers as a 7 month old cub that had been used as a photo opportunity cat. Once tigers reach a certain age, authorities and the law deem them dangerous to the public. They are no longer profitable to the owners/exhibitors and are sold as pets. Most of the times they are auctioned off for “canned hunts” for trophy kills or euthanized, so new cubs can be bred and used.
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Bengal Tiger:
Moses arrived 12-4-2006
Moses, Mattie, Marilyn, Malachi and Millie were used for photo opportunities. Once tigers reach a certain age where authorities and the law deem them dangerous (refer to individual state laws and practices), they are no longer useful for picture opportunities and are sold as pets, for "canned hunts" or euthanized so that new cubs can be bred and used. This is where Keepers of the Wild was able to step in and rescue these cubs.
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Siberian Tiger:
Niko – arrived 11-12-2005
Niko and his brother Zeus were owned by a couple in Minnesota. As the exotic pet ownership laws were being changed, the couple was put into a position of having their pet tigers confiscated and possibly euthanized. They were determined to find a proper home for the 2 brothers. After, Keepers of the Wild agreed to take the boys, the couple personally drove them out to Arizona and stayed to help during the transition.
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Bengal Tiger:
PJ – arrived 12-4-2006
PJ and Pandora (arrived with Mattie, Marilyn, Malachi, Moses and Millie), who were 4 months-old, were rescued also, but were never used for photo opportunities because they acquired ringworm and could not be used. Keepers of the Wild does not usually rescue tiger cubs this young but because of their condition they could not be used by the owners for profit. Keepers of the Wild and its volunteers have worked diligently to bath, medicate and treat these two cubs and they are now totally recovered. PJ was almost completely lacking hair because of her condition.
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Bengal Tiger:
Ruckus – arrived 6-28-2008
He arrived to two other male tiger, Apollo & Hercules from Oklahoma. They were primarily used for photo opportunities. By USDS standards, exotic cats can no longer be interactive with the public once they reach the age of months or 80 pounds. They would no longer be profitable to the owner, so Keepers agreed to give them a safe home for life.
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Bengal Tiger:
Sasha – arrived 11-29-2003
Sasha and three siblings, Grace, Sebastian & Skylar came from a breeding facility in Texas, where they were sold for photo opportunity cats in a traveling show. Once they reached 8 months, they were no longer able to be profitable to the owners.
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White Bengal Tiger:
Sebastian – arrived 11-29-2003
Sebastian and three siblings, Grace, Sasha & Skylar came from a breeding facility in Texas, where they were sold for photo opportunity cats in a traveling show. Once they reached 8 months, they were no longer able to be profitable to the owners.
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Bengal Tiger:
Sheena – arrived 7-26-2003
Sheena was privately owned by a couple in Texas. They had a large habitat for Sheena in the country, unfortunately, they had some financial problems and had to sell the land to move into the city. It was not possible to take Sheena, so they contacted Keepers of the Wild and personally drove her to the sanctuary. Sheena happily resides with Bengali.
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Bengal Tiger:
Skylar – arrived 11-29-2003
Skylar and three siblings, Grace, Sebastian & Sasha came from a breeding facility in Texas, where they were sold for photo opportunity cats in a traveling show. Once they reached 8 months, they were no longer able to be profitable to the owners.
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Bengal Tiger:
Victor – arrived 1-17-2009
Victor and his brother William came to Keepers of the Wild from a small zoo in Nebraska. The zoo had been closed and there were 3 tigers and 1 lion remaining on the property. The lion and 1 tiger were placed in separate facilities and Keepers took in the two brothers. They share a beautiful habitat and have adjusted nicely.
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Bengal Tiger:
William – arrived 1-17-2009
William and his brother Victor came to Keepers of the Wild from a small zoo in Nebraska. The zoo had been closed and there were 3 tigers and 1 lion remaining on the property. The lion and 1 tiger were placed in separate facilities and Keepers took in the two brothers. They share a beautiful habitat and have adjusted nicely.
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Siberian Tiger:
Zeus – arrived 11-12-2005
Zeus and his brother Niko were owned by a couple in Minnesota. As the exotic pet ownership laws were being changed, the couple was put into a position of having their pet tigers confiscated and possibly euthanized. They were determined to find a proper home for the 2 brothers. After, Keepers of the Wild agreed to take the boys, the couple personally drove them out to Arizona and stayed to help during the transition.
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Black Jaguar:
Hope – arrived 7-18-1994
Hope was discovered by the DEA at the time of a drug bust in Texas. She was confiscated and sent to a local Texas organization that called Jonathan to place her at Keepers of the Wild.
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Spotted Leopard:
Kobie – arrived 4-9-2004
Kobie arrived with his mother, Emma after being abandoned at a boarding facility. He was bred for photo opportunities in Las Vegas, Nevada. When Emma’s owner failed to pay her bill or show up in court, the owner of the boarding facility turned Emma & Kobie over to Keepers of the Wild. Shadow the father was soon to follow and be reunited with his family.
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Leopards:
Drakkar and Akasha are brother and sister from the same litter. We received Drakkar and Akasha in the Spring of 1994 from the big city of Hollywood, California. Both cats were being groomed for the television industry. The real problem was that leopards can be difficult cats to train, and it requires handlers that are familiar with leopards to be successful.
Unfortunately, they had a male handler who believed in using strong-arm tactics to make them behave. Luckily, Jonathan was able to intervene.
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Black African Leopard:
Shadow – arrived 10-24-2005
Shadow is Kobie’s father and boyfriend to Emma ( a spotted leopard) the mother to Kobie. Their owner was breeding the pair non-stop for 3 ½ years to produce cubs for photo opportunity and appearances in Las Vegas, NV. The owner kept the animals in her residential backyard, which upset the neighbors and she placed the leopards in a boarding facility. She never returned to pay the bill, so the facility gained legal custody and called Keepers to place the family.
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Cougar:
Baby – arrived 4-18-1997
Baby was illegally kept in an apartment in California, by a private owner. When she went into her estrus, Baby would make loud, screaming noises. Fearing he would get into trouble, he contacted Keepers of the Wild and donated her before she was confiscated by the authorities. She now shares a habitat with Bam Bam.
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Cougar:
BamBam – arrived 3-28-1996
BamBam was a product of the exotic pet trade industry. His owners did not have the proper permits to transport him into Nevada and was about to be confiscated by the Dept. of Wildlife. Jonathan was able to contact the authorities and arrange the transfer of BamBam to Keepers of the Wild, where he shares his habitat with Baby.
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Cougar:
Bandit – arrived 5-1-1999
Bandit was a pet for an 8- year old child, her parents thought it would a neat pet for her. However, they ran into permit problems, and then Keepers of the Wild was able to convince the father to donate Bandit before the child suffered any major injuries or possible death.
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Cougar:
Cassidy – arrived 11-12-2003
Cassidy was surplus cat from a private zoo in Colorado. They had over-bred and were not able to take care of all the new cubs. She became very ill, and after 4 months they wanted to place her with Keepers. A private pilot donated his flight time to deliver Cassidy to Keepers, we had to start a strong regimen of antibiotics and work with her to get her to eat and gain her strength back. She has recovered fully and shares her habitat with 2 other cougars, Bandit & Curtis.
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Bobcat:
Angel – arrived 12-22-2002
Angel was found wandering in a Las Vegas neighborhood with a harness on. The harness had begun to imbed into her skin – luckily, she was rescued and now enjoys spending her time with Kitty (lynx) and Tara (bobcat).
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Bobcat:
Tara – arrived 6-16-1997
Tara was a product of the pet trade industry and was purchased by a family in Montana. They soon realized that Tara needed a better environment and they would not be able to give her everything she may need. When the family relocated to Nevada, they needed special permits and at that time decided to donate her to Keepers.
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Bobcat:
Zoe – arrived 8-18-2008
Zoe’s mother had taken up residence under a storage shed in a residential neighborhood with her kittens. The homeowners discovered them and tried to chase them away, unfortunately after a couple days, the mother did not return for Zoe and Adobe rehabilitation Center in Phoenix was contacted to capture her. She was a scared little 5 month old bobcat that would make it on her own, Keepers took her in and we hope to join her with our other bobcats, soon.
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Bobcats:
Casanova & Daisy arrived on 8-4-2010. Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center contacted us about three baby bobcats (Flo, Casanova and Daisy) that had been rescued by a local animal control center out of New River Arizona. All three have acclimated to each other and have been moved to an outdoor natural habitat built especially for them. Casinova and Flo are brother and sister. Daisy was found alone, abandoned by her mother.
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Bobcat:
Flo arrived on 8-4-2010 Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center contacted us about three baby bobcats ( Flo, Casanova and Daisy) that had been rescued by a local animal control center out of New River Arizona. All three babies have acclimated to each other and have been moved to an outdoor natural habitat built especially for them.
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Bobcat:
AnnaBelle – arrived 12-31-2010
AnnaBelle arrived at Keepers of the Wild by Adobe Mountain Center in Phoenix. Keepers agreed to take her along with another female bobcat(Chloe) and a male raccoon (Seymore). AnnaBelle is a juvenile bobcat that had gotten friendly with a homeowner who had been feeding her. The person intended to get permits to keep her and which is not legal – being an indigenous animal to Arizona. We successfully introduced her to (3) other juvenile bobcats that we rescued in May 2010.
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Lynx:
Kitty – arrived 3-11-1998
Kitty was in a Las Vegas pet store, when two ladies spotted her in a small cage unable to turn around or stand up properly. They realized that something had to be done and bought her for $5,000, they knew they were unable to properly care for her and decided to donate her to Keepers of the Wild.
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African Serval:
Jordan – arrived 8-16-2003
She was a pet for a 4 yr. old little girl and the family claimed that she was a wonderful pet, that slept on their bed and played with their dogs. They were moving and did not want to take her with them. Keepers took her in at 1 ½ years old and it was apparent that Jordan was maturing and was not the friendly pet that they had expected and became fearful of her.
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