As promised the second day of the Big Cat Sanctuary visit for my birthday and I think these are some of our best photos too and certainly some of our most memorable moments.
We were very tired as the lions had kept us awake some - but what a great reason for sleeplessness eh! But we wandered over for breakfast and Oh My1 The boys Tiny and Kafara, had decided to accompany us all for breakfast and spent the entire time lounging on the decking right up against the windows of the conservatory where we eat. It was the most amazing thing ever. I felt so sorry for the staff because truly, none of us were interested in breakfast at all. we just wanted to watch and snap and soak it in. I believe breakfast was quite tasty. I honestly can't remember
Well, that was truly amazing - a once in a lifetime moment. It couldn't get any better than that could it? um yes it could!
Many people have only heard of the Big Cat Sanctuary because of this little girl. This is Maya the black jaguar. She was rejected by her mother int the first 24 hours of life and they didn't know why so they had to take her away. She went to live with the director Giles Clark in his house and became the star of the tv series Big Cats Around the House. She was very poorly - maybe why her mother rejected her - but she is now a healthy three year old and one of the best ambassadors for the park and for world wide conservation that the sanctuary suppot.
These two beauties - not the best photos I am afraid - are Keira the golden jaguar and her boyfriend Neron the black jaguar
On to the cheetah next and this gorgeous gorgeous cat is Bajrami and he is Willow's dad
These two sisters we first met in 2009 and they are Viktoria and Valentina the pumas or cougars (they are one of my favourite big cats along with lions, cheetah, leopards and ... ok all of them)
and they have now been joined by this handsome boy Yahzi
We were given the choice of whatever big cat we would like to hand feed. Nigel knew from the start he wanted to hand feed a jaguar but a golden not a black. Jaguars are very rare but in the UK you rarely see one in any park or sanctuary. I wasn't sure - a lion or maybe a leopard?
Anyway meet Sophia the golden jaguar and Nigel gave her a lovely chicken drumstick AND kept all of his fingers
finally we went on to the white lions. They have a fabulous pride, bred there, though they will not breed again as they are all related and white lions are not an endangered species
They were quite spectacular and had the most gorgeous massive enclosure full of grass and platforms and logs and toys but they chose to sit on the tarmac!
and next door - well wow - I guess there is a reason they call him the king of the beasts. Ngosi, the male. He was huge and regal and spectacular and I was more than a little in love
One of the group fed his sister and then he started to descend and I asked if it were possible to feed him. The keeper said of course although his sister was likely to stop it happening as she would want to be hand fed and would not let him, but she was as good as gold and stood aside and I fed the gorgeous Ngosi. The perfect end to a perfect birthday celebration.
And thus our day was over and we returned home so happy with what we had done, feeling so blessed to have done it and with so many memories that would last forever.
My birthday celebrations continued at home but more of that another day
Today I am thankful for
- the most amazing experience ever
- the beauty of the world and the diversity of the creatures in it but especially the big cats
- the fact my best friend and soul mate loves exactly the same things as I do
- the fact my parents were there with us too - when I sold my gold jewellery and bought a tiffany silver bracelet last year there was enough left over to pay half of my birthday trip so it was from them and Nigel - they would have been utterly thrilled
Nothing could have been more wonderful than recognizing your parents' spirit with you, a loving husband, and the feeling of awe provided by nature's world.
Thank you for sharing these precious memories with us!
Posted by: Barb in AK | July 28, 2020 at 08:34 AM