Tiger Family Settled at Wildlife Refuge
Mama tiger, papa tiger and the two cubs rescued from an Irish farm seemed Monday to be adjusting well to their new home at the Wildlife Waystation animal refuge, director Martine Colette said.
The 8-year-old female, who had been separated from the 6-week-old cubs for the weekend while flying to Los Angeles from Europe, readily accepted them back late Sunday night, Colette said.
The tigers arrived at the sanctuary in the mountains above Lake View Terrace on Sunday afternoon, and a veterinarian had been concerned that the mother might attack the cubs rather than resume nursing. But, Colette said, there was “lots of baby nursing going on.”
The family of Siberian tigers had been living in what were described as the “most appalling conditions” on a farm in Ireland. The Irish branch of the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, acting on a tip, confiscated the animals and arranged for them to be taken to the Wildlife Waystation, home to 1,500 animals, including dozens of big cats.
The farmer who had been keeping the tigers faces criminal charges of cruelty to animals, according to Irish press reports.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
