Easter open house promises animal education, entertainment
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
Lions, Tigers and Bears recently acquired two gibbons -- Sydney and Ging -- who delight in swinging in their enclosure with their long arms, singing with very loud voices.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
Two gibbons, Sydney and Ging, recently came to take up residence at Lions, Tigers and Bears. You can see them and all the other animals March 29 and 30 during the facility's annual open house.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
A hybrid wolf came to Lions, Tigers and Bears when his owner could no longer control him. Now his enclosure is adjacent to the pen holding white-tailed deer.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
Tiger siblings Samson and Delilah came to Lions, Tigers and Bears about two years ago from the photo trade, in which tiger cubs and other wild animals are used to pose in photos with people. Once the animals reach a certain age, they are too large to use in such photos and are no longer wanted by their owners.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
Tiger siblings Samson and Delilah have formed a bond with Lynn Wittmeier, who with her husband Dennis owns Lions, Tigers and Bears. The big cats "chuff," the tiger version of purring, when she approaches.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
African lion Tut stretches with his big paws against the chain link fencing. Lions, Tigers and Bears is licensed by the state to keep the big cats and other animals, and must meet rigorous standards.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
Lions, Tigers and Bears has several adult Florida panthers, such as Baba Louie. Most came to the facility as former pets that grew too large for their owners to manage and, due to being raised with humans, cannot be released to the wild.
ARCADIAN PHOTO BY SUSAN E. HOFFMAN, shoffman@sun-herald.com
Swazie, an African leopard, yawns wide as he rolls over for a mid-morning nap. Lions, Tigers and Bears also has taken in other cats such as lynx, bobcats, Savannahs and an African serval.
Visitors attending Lions, Tigers and Bears’ annual Easter Weekend Open House should be prepared for hoot of a time — literally. With one of the preserve’s newest additions — a pair of gibbons named Sydney and Ging — serenading visitors with their signature siren howls.
The special event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 29-30. Besides offering guided tours of the animals, there will also be free hot dogs and drinks. A minimum donation of $10 for adults and $2 for children is requested. Owner Lynn Wittmeier says that the event is one of the organization’s prime sources of funding for the year.
