Rescued big cats adapting to a new life in the Free State like a tiger to water – Lionsrock’s Hildegard Pilker

Four tigers that have spent their lives living in a train car on a farm in central Argentina are adapting to a new life in South Africa, where they felt grass under their feet and have a pool to dip in, for the very first time. They were originally two tigers that have been abandoned by a circus. The tigers were rescued by Four Paws International, a Vienna-based animal welfare organisation that transported the big cats from Justo Daract in Argentina to the Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary in Bethlehem in the Free State. Four Paws has also launched a campaign, Break the Vicious Cycle to urge the government to include all big cat species within its new protective legislation for lions. Hildegard Pirker is the head of Lionsrock and she will be caring for the four tigers: a female called Mafalda and three males, Messi, Gustavo and Sandro. Hildegard told BizNews about the history of the cats, how the declawing of the oldest male affected his health, and how the cats were adapting to their new home at Lionsrock in the Free State. – Linda van Tilburg

Four tigers held in cages on a train

It’s quite an interesting and very sad story because, obviously, these animals were not kept in good conditions and were living for many years in a train carriage, in a train cage, somewhere in the middle of Argentina. When we heard about it, Four Paws immediately felt that we should do something to help. It took a while to get in contact with them, to establish some network because Four Paws does not have contacts or offices in Argentina. The team had to establish contact and get to the people who were looking after those animals. When it became clear we could help them, the next question was whether Lionsrock had space to take them in. It was not a long discussion. We were happy to take them to Lionsrock. At the moment, we have them in a temporary enclosure but we are going to build a bigger environment than we have at the moment.

Grass under their feet for the first time

Over the years, Lionsrock has received many rescued animals and it is always a special moment; it is always a big relief because we know that from [the moment they arrive], life really starts. The time [leading up to when] they arrive at Lionrock, the preparations and then the transportation; it is all quite intense and everyone is worried about them. You can’t tell them, “OK, you’re going to be put in a cage now and you will stay there for three days, but then you will have a better life.” So, there’s always a bit of concern for the mental and physical health of the animals during the trip and how they cope with it and how they’re doing when they are released. It’s different every time because all animals are individuals. The most important emotion is relief and happiness once they finally have the chance to start a new life with us.

Adapting to their new enclosure in the Free State with more freedom

They are doing quite well. We are happy with how they have developed so far. They have calmed down. In the beginning, when they were released, they were quite aggressive with each other because they were in two groups. I think they were just overwhelmed with everything. Tigers are a bit different to lions but they calmed down. They are fine with each other. They have gone back to enjoying each other’s company and we can do our daily routines and care for them quite easily. They quickly realised when we [approached] in bakkies that brought the food; after a week, they realised that’s a food truck. They are really relaxed and we hope that by next week, we can release the first two into the bigger area.

They are grouped together: the younger male with the older female and the younger male with the older male. We cannot change that grouping as that is how they were in Argentina for a long time. At the moment, they are in smaller adaptation areas; then we will start with Mafalda, the female, and the young male, Gustavo. We will release them into the larger area. The older male is 18; he is not in great condition. I wouldn’t say he is in bad health, but he has health issues. He doesn’t see very well and he was declawed, so he has arthritis in his paws and his walking is a bit problematic. We want to give him more attention and more time before we let him out. We want to gauge how the other two are doing before we release him and with the other young male, Messi.

Bethlehem, South Africa | 20220313 | Tiger Messi in his enclosure after being released at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary. He was rescued with three other tigers from a life of living in a train carriage in Argentina by FOUR PAWS. Picture: DANIEL BORN © FOUR PAWS

Taking like a tiger to water

As everyone might be aware, lions are social. They usually live in groups and enjoy each other’s company. Their social behaviour is related to group behaviour and being with other lions. Tigers, on the other hand, would be solitary animals in the wild. In captivity and in many zoos, tigers are kept in pairs because you cannot keep them as they would live in the wild and it works quite well. They enjoy having a companion but they need more private space. As solitary animals, it’s innate in them. They are not like lions that stick together, needing constant physical contact. Otherwise, everything else when it comes to their care is very similar to lions. What is different is that tigers enjoy water. We always provide a pool for the tigers in our enclosures. Tigers love water even if they have never encountered it. These Argentinian tigers have never had the chance to take a dip in a pool. They are quickly drawn to water and we provided a little pool in those smaller camps. On the second day, Messi was already sitting inside the pool. It’s lovely to see as it shows they don’t lose that natural instinct and behaviour; it comes out after a while again and they revert to their natural behaviour.

Balancing empathy with caring for rescued big cats; some have been declawed

For the sake of the animals, you have to be very sensitive and have a lot of experience and understand what they have gone through and what all these different things mean to them. But on the other hand, you have to put your emotions aside, so you can give them the best care that they need and be pragmatic about certain things… We have received a few declawed animals over the years. It is one of the cruellest things and has a long-term effect on any of the big cats. They will have problems later on when they get older. They get arthritis because what actually happens is that the first digit of their claws of the toes is usually removed… So, it’s not only the claws that are clipped, because they would grow again, but they remove the first digit or first piece of the toe where the claws attach to. You can imagine how detrimental it is for big cats that use their claws to take down prey as nature intended. It means their claws have to be really strong. So, it has to be a proper amputation, which is sad and so unnecessary as the animals suffer for the rest of their lives.

More than 100 rescued big cats at LionsRock

Four Paws is an international animal welfare organisation and our objective is to relieve the suffering of animals worldwide. Part of our work is to create sanctuaries on the ground for specific species where we see the most need as an organisation. Our big cats are the one species so to say, in captivity, in bad captivity, especially and then there are brown bears and other animals for which we have sanctuaries. Lionsrock is one of the sanctuaries for Four Paws with over a hundred animals with a large space where we can build natural enclosures on a big scale. The animals more or less have the freedom to finally live; to not be kept in concrete cages or on concrete floors, as a pet in an unnatural environment, in circuses where they go from a cage to the performance and they are forced to learn tricks and never have a natural life or a species-appropriate life. Our aim is to help those animals, to rehabilitate them at Lionsrock and at other sanctuaries. To give them the freedom, peace and the safety they deserve for the rest of their lives.

Are tigers appropriate for Africa?

Yes, I would say so. Argentina, Europe or North America are not their natural environment; it is even less of a natural environment than where they keep Bengal tigers. There is snow in winter and they would not naturally occur in such a climate. We will not breed with them. We are a sanctuary. We are not trying to create more tigers in this environment but rather to give them the natural environment and the care they deserve. It doesn’t matter where it is, as it is much better than a concrete cage somewhere in Eastern Europe, for example, as that is no life for them at all.

Bethlehem, South Africa | 20220313 | Tiger Mafalda relaxes in her enclosure after being released at LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary. She was rescued with three other tigers from a life of living in a train carriage in Argentina by FOUR PAWS. Picture: DANIEL BORN © FOUR PAWS

Read also: 

Visited 2,141 times, 2 visit(s) today