En Route From Alaska : Abandoned Tiger to Join Waystation

A 250-pound tiger abandoned by a circus promoter and taken in by Alaskan officials on Christmas Eve will be the latest addition to the Wildlife Waystation in Little Tujunga Canyon.

Martine Colette, director of the nonprofit refuge for wild animals, is scheduled to drive to Los Angeles International Airport today to pick up the tiger, Angela. She’ll be taking along a horse-trailer.

The Waystation arranged to accept the tiger from a city shelter in Anchorage after the circus promoter who owned the tiger left Alaska in a contract dispute, shelter spokeswoman Tamela Thomas said.

The 160-acre Waystation, which is supported by donations, volunteer labor and fund-raising events, provides a home for wild animals abandoned or mistreated by private owners or exiled for attacking humans. It prepares animals for release into their natural habitat or into the custody of a zoo, which is where Colette hopes the tiger winds up.

Angela was taken into custody on Christmas Eve by Anchorage officials after being held by her owner’s creditors, Thomas said.

The animal had been kept in a small crate in a warehouse and had been underfed, Thomas said. Angela “has improved” since being 40 pounds underweight a month ago, she said.

At the Waystation, Angela will join about 20 other tigers, 40 lions and hundreds of birds, primates and other animals.

Colette speculated that, like most tigers in private hands, Angela probably is used to seeing humans but has not lived with other tigers. At the young age of 2 to 3, Angela has time to adjust, but, because of a surplus of zoo tigers, “it will still take me some doing to find a place for her,” Colette said.