Shambala Preserve is a wild and wonderful place in southern California where big cats and other wild animals live in safety and peace after being rescued, abandoned or confiscated.
Many of these animals are illegally obtained or owned, and very difficult to take care of. The stories of what their lives were like before coming to Shambala are often frightening and tragic.
A beautiful black leopard named Kara was confiscated from an unheated garage in Wyoming, where she had no food or water, but did have frostbitten ears, paws and tail.
A bobcat named Elsie was bottle-fed by a good citizen when her mother was shot. Her brothers and sisters stayed in the wild, but Elsie stayed behind in civilization and grew accustomed to interacting with humans. When the good Samaritan who took care of her had to move, he feared that new people in his home would have Elsie destroyed, so he found a home for her at Shambala. She did not want to live in captivity at first, but now enjoys playing with the other small cats at the Preserve and living a healthy, safe life.
Tamara and her sister were being sold out of the back of a car in a mall parking lot when they were cubs. They were cute, but they were sad and sickly, and after several days in a shelter, Tamara's sister died. Tamara survived her ordeal and now lives happily at Shambala.
Perhaps one of the most disturbing stories of animals that Shambala helps protect and care for involves a "Tiger Rescue" operation in which the animals were far from rescued. Several news sources covered the story when the animals at the "Rescue" were confiscated from the deplorable conditions they were forced to live in. Many of the cats who lived there did not survive, as graphically illustrated by the news stories that covered the operation and this website: http://www.savethetigers.com/.
It is amazing how often exotic animals are traded, sold, and owned (even illegally) in the United States. Innocent people think they make beautiful and unique pets before realizing that wild, undomesticated breeds of animals are extremely difficult if not impossible to take care of. More sinister people have exotic animals - especially big cats - for the sole purpose of making money. Sometimes they keep them in roadside zoos that they do not maintain, illegally breed them to sell their babies, or use them as guard animals to scare off other criminals -- drug dealers find them useful, for example.
Tippi Hedren, star of the Hitchcock classic, "The Birds," and mother of actress Melanie Griffith, is the founder and president of The Roar Foundation -- the non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Shambala Preserve. Their mission is to educate the public about exotic animals and the dangers of their ownership, and to support legislation that protects those animals. Tippi Hedren lives on the Preserve, as well, and takes an active part in caring for the animals there. As educating the public is a priority, the Preserve also gives tours and hosts special events with their "wild ones."
The majority of the animals that live at Shambala have no trust fund or financial support, as they often come from state agencies, zoos, or private owners who can no longer care for them. The Roar Foundation depends on members, donations, and adoptive "parents" for support.
The majority of the time, Shambala is a happy sanctuary, free from the suffering and concern these animals would face elsewhere. However, the wildfires that are so frequent to southern California often threaten the beautiful haven. To move these wild animals from their home, they would have to be tranquillized for their own safety, and the safety of the volunteers who offer their help. It would be a stressful ordeal that is never taken lightly, and in such a situation the workers and Ms. Hedren always wait to make sure an evacuation is absolutely necessary before making that call. Fortunately, the Shambala Preserve narrowly missed an evacuation just recently. (Click here to read more about the preventative measures Shambala takes to protect itself.)
In our country, where so many of us keep small, domesticated pets and love animals dearly, it is easy to remember to support causes which help prevent cruelty to all animals, and to remember to support our local organizations for cats and dogs. When we see exotic animals being cared for or happily playing in local zoos or preserves, and teach our children about them and other wonderful places in the world, it is easy to forget that some of these animals are not only living in captivity - but being treated in the most inhumane and cruel ways by their captors, owners, or other human neighbors.
It is so important to support the people who care for exotic animals that cannot be released into the wild and all the people throughout our country who dedicate their lives and work to educating the public about the wondrous creatures in our world.
To learn more about sponsoring an animal in care, Tippi Hedren, The Roar Foundation and Shambala Preserve, CLICK HERE.
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