Hi everyone,
Today we have a fun post from our friends at the Woburn Safari Park.
Woburn’s Big Cats & Tiger Cubs Enjoy Purr-fect Day of Enrichment with Giant Toys, Wool & Cardboard Boxes
Woburn Safari Park’s critically endangered Amur tiger cubs and African lions are having a ball today playing with giant cat toys, wool and cardboard boxes that are not too dissimilar to those enjoyed by domestic house cats.
Woburn’s tiger cubs play with a ball of rope.
One of the cubs grabs a mouse-shaped toy (right)
In the run up to International Cat Day on Monday 8th August the keepers were treating the big cats at the Bedfordshire Park to a purr-fect day of enrichment. Keepers had great fun creating some special fish and mouse-shaped cat toys, made from natural hessian sacks stuffed with Bactrian camel wool and conifer leaves to create tantalising scents, a little like catnip. Keepers also made a large rope ball and offered the cats a giant cardboard box to hide in.
The rare tiger cubs rip into their toys with relish, pulling out the wool shed by Woburn’s Bactrian camels.
The Park’s tiger cubs, Mishka and Milashki, have also been showing off their hunting skills and competing with a game of tug-o-war, enjoying a cooling dip in the Park’s water pools and spending some quality time with mum as they brush up on their stalking and pouncing skills. As the first Amur tigers to be born at the Park in 23 years, these female cubs are now juveniles and at 10 months old weigh around 70-80kgs each.
Shall we dance? The tiger cubs jump for joy
Tara Humphrey, Animal Keeper at Woburn Safari Park said:
“We are always thinking of new ways to provide our big cats with the enrichment that they need, which is why with International Cat Day coming up on Monday we decided that it would be nice to introduce the tigers and lions to some of the toys similar to those enjoyed by domestic house cats. Stalking and playing with the props really helps to stimulate their natural hunting instincts and the giant cardboard box we found was ideal for hiding in and tearing apart!”
Having a roar-some time! Woburn’s tiger cubs take some time out to play
Unlike most house cats Woburn’s tigers love the water
Woburn Safari Park is home to a pride of 7 African lions and 5 Amur tigers that live in spacious reserves in the Kingdom of the Carnivores section of the Road Safari.
Is that catnip? An African lion enjoys a bag of conifer leaves
Amur tigers (also referred to as Siberian tigers) are critically endangered and numbers are as low as 520 in the wild. Major decreases in tiger populations over recent years are due to poaching for body parts and loss of habitat, making the international captive breeding programme vital to protecting their future.
Curious big cats! Woburn’s lions approach a cardboard box
All cats like to hide, but this cardboard box proved too tempting for Woburn’s lions to shred
Time to chill! Sunbathing is a top priority for the pride
Picture Credits: Bridget Davey Photography / Woburn Safari Park
To book or for more information, visit www.woburnsafari.co.uk
We hope you enjoyed the look at the Safari Park and will be back for more stories soon! 🙂
Thanks,
Marc
A lovely post. Thank you.
Thank you 😀
Pas de quoi. 😉
This is inspirational on a mundane Monday. Thanks for this.
Glad you enjoyed it!
And isn’t it amazing how great cats and little tiny cats all like cardboard boxes! I’ve had one in our kitchen for weeks because my two little ones love it so.
Ha! At least I’m not the only one that ends up leaving cardboard boxes around 😉
Guilty as charged! If it makes them happy, why not? Blog on, I just love Katzenworld.
Thank you 😀 and if you ever fancy doing a guest post just let me know. 🙂
I feel inarticulate right now because of grief, but I will happily take you up on that offer in a few weeks. I have some beautiful pictures of my sleek black Happycat and royally fluffy Lilybug, who have helped me through many black days, and I’d be happy to share. Lovin’ it! Thanks so much for the invite, what an honor. Peace.
You are welcome! Just let us know when you are ready. <3
Great read! Thanks for publishing this.
You are welcome 🙂 glad you enjoyed it
Good, goog, good!
🙂
What great photos.
Glad you enjoyed the post 🙂
Gorgeous big cats
Indeed! ^^
purrfect except for those damn Trump pop-up ads!
Argh! Even WordPress features them now?!? Another reason to go self hosted! No more stupid ads 🙁
Loved this post! Such beautiful cats.
Thank you :-). We will hopefully have more large cats soon. 😉
It fascinates me that BIG cats love boxes too!
They are felines after all ;). And they love catnip too. 😀
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Reblogged this morning, just great, I had to share! Blog on.
Awww thank you ^^
Delightful. Thank you.
🙂
Great pictures, wish for these cats to live in the wild, where they belong! Following, stay in touch!
Yes it would be much better if they lived in the wild. But at least the safari parks try to give them an as close to nature environment as possible. 🙁
Reblogged this on Site Title and commented:
Interesting article. Loved the pictures.
Thank you!
Reblogged on Site Title at wordpress.com
Thanks 🙂