Many of the animals we see as pets, farmyard fare, or even colleagues began the process of domestication thousands of years ago. It is hard to imagine what the ancestor to today's cow looked and behaved like, if purely because cows as a species have changed under human direction, and to suit human needs. Essentially, wolves didn't become dogs in a day, and nor can a tiger go from wild animal to household cat in a couple of generations.
In fact, there is some debate as to whether pet cats are even domesticated right now, despite the fact that we have been keeping them around for millennia. In the case of Tiger King , the lions and tigers Joe Exotic keeps and breeds may fall into the "companionship" category, or perhaps more accurately, a fourth category: Entertainment.
The cast of characters in Tiger King who actually breed big cats includes the two-tone mulleted, now-incarcerated Joe Exotic; Bhagavan 'Doc' Antle; and Vegas businessman and exotic animal owner Jeff Lowe. They seem harmless, like overgrown kittens. The United States Department of Agriculture allows people to interact with tiger cubs aged just 4 to 12 weeks. After that, they are considered too large and too dangerous for human interaction. Older big cats are expensive and difficult to maintain, which can lead to a never-ending cycle in which breeders keep making baby cats to pay for the older ones — or, as in some tragic cases shown in Tiger King , breeders may euthanize the older animals to cut costs.
As the docu-series shows, even experienced animal handlers run into issues with the wild creatures they care for. The big cats lunge, snap, and, in one dramatic scene, a zookeeper interviewed in the show loses an arm. Sadly, of the estimated 10, captive wild cats in the United States, only an estimated are held in registered and accredited zoological facilities.
Private ownership of a tiger as a pet is not recommended, and many states have very strict bans or restrictions surrounding the possession of exotic animals. Not only is a tiger a wild, endangered species that should be left in nature, but a tiger has extremely intricate and difficult behavioral, dietary, and exercise needs that must be met in order for the animal to stay happy and healthy.
First and foremost, a tiger is a wild animal. Tigers are accustomed to having thousands of acres to roam and hunt in the wild. In the wild, it is not uncommon for a male tiger to have a territory that exceeds 40 miles. Restricting a wild tiger to just a small area will not only cause a tiger to become stressed and anxious, but it can have a disastrous impact on his or her overall health.
This is an extremely territorial cat, and when forced to live in small confines can become seriously ill or stressed.
Tigers are wild predators that are meant to search and seek out meal opportunities. They enjoy a wide area with varied terrain to exercise, hunt, and feel protected and safe. Many people do not have nearly enough space available to give a tiger the room it needs to roam and hunt.
Further, it should not be left unsaid that tigers are dangerous animals. They are wild, big cats that are top predators in their environment. If you are considering keeping a wild tiger as a pet you must also consider the safety and security of yourself and the neighbors around you. Not only can tigers swim and climb, but they are accomplished jumpers too.
This means that you must have every security measure in place in order to safely and securely keep your tiger enclosed and safe. Even the best, well funded, zoos in the world have had tigers escape from their enclosures, posing a risk to the tiger and the humans in the area. Just recently in , a tiger escaped from San Francisco Zoo and killed a guest at the zoo.
As a large cat, usually exceeding pounds, a tiger needs a tremendous amount of protein in his or her diet. In the wild, a tiger will bring down a large antelope, deer, or water buffalo and eat over 80 pounds of meat in one meal. Not only is providing 80 pounds of meat for a single meal expensive but simply being able to store that much meat in a safe and healthy way for future meals is unreasonable for most people. In captivity, most tigers eat a steady meal of ground beef, but this is not enough to keep a tiger healthy.
Additional enrichment items are necessary to keep your tiger in optimum health. Tiger cubs are dependent on their mothers for milk and food initially and are also licked clean by their mothers, which is beneficial for their health. Taking them out of their natural habitat and trying to tame them can make them weaker and smaller than their wild relatives. Cubs also learn how to hunt from their mothers and rely on them for up to 3 years to learn the basic skills of survival. By taming these baby tigers, you are handicapping these wild beasts and making them entirely dependent on you for the rest of their lives.
Many organizations globally are working against the trade and captivity of tigers. You can play your part by donating to these organizations and reporting anyone you know who owns a tiger illegally. Instead of trying to dominate these beasts that are meant to roam free, we need to work towards protecting these endangered species from becoming extinct.
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