This message is from: SUSAN GIARGIARI <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Hello Listers! We have had quite a few experiences with our Fjords Stella and
Dena being around all kinds of animals. A very close friend of ours owns and
operates the Greenville Wildlife Park.....They have all kinds of animals such
as lions, tigers, bears, camels, exotic sheep, a hyena, monkeys,
birds.......just about anything you can imagine! They have been slowly getting
the park set up so that all the animals are in a natural habitat setting. The
tigers have a few acres.......with a shelter,, rocks,,,woods area,,and a small
pond..which they love to spend time in during the hot summers. You will only
see their heads sticking out of the water,,,behind the reeds! Thunder weighs
about 900 lbs. and the owner can take him out on a leash! He has shown up in
our yard with Thunder in the truck with him! He has shown up at our door with
`with a covered basket.......only to set it down on the kitchen floor and have
baby lions or tigers pop thier heads out from under the towel! W!
hen the Park opened and for the first couple of years.....we would take Dena &
Stella over to give "pony rides"! The kids loved them and for the ones that
were a little scared......Mom or Dad could sit right up in the saddle with
them! When ever we came thru the Park with the fjords in the trailer
...........right along side the tiger enclosure........they would immediately
come down to the fence and stalk back and forth.....even though they have never
had a live animal to eat....the instinct is there! Usually the rides are down
in the back away from any animal enclosures......but during an open house pig
roast we were giving rides right beside the tiger enclosure.....everytime we
walked the horses up and down the lane.....the tigers would come running out
and follow.......pacing back and forth.........Stella and Dena just did their
job......didn't spoke........were ok with all the smells......we were relaxed
and ok and the horses got their cues from us,,,trusting that the!
y weren't going to be the first "live dinner" for Thunder and!
Tika!! Of course, the first time we were at their first farm, Anthony was
about 3, the owner wasn't there so we were checking out Garth and Eileen,, the
yearling lions........the grownups were standing at the chain link fence and I
watched Eileen jump down off the big hollowed-out dead tree in their pen and
she came right down to the fence , in her "stalking " mode! Anthony was running
back and forth behind us, oblivious to the lions and Eileen was stalking this
little thing that she figured she would have a chance at catching! Made the
hairs stand up on the back of my neck! Garth just lay there, stretched out on
the tree while his "woman" was hunting....in lion packs,,,,the females are the
hunters. Once again, even though the lions have never had a "live" animal to
kill and eat.......the hunting instinct is so inbred in them. Quite amazing!
