Liger in Myrtle Beach

It's another beautiful day in Myrtle Beach, SC!!!  Most people don't know when they visit Myrtle Beach that there is an interactive animal preserve and tour just miles down the road.   T.I.G.E.R.S.  was created as a wildlife education organization, dedicated to promoting global conservation with informative, educational, and entertaining interactive programs. Founder and Director, Dr. Bhagavan Antle works closely with international wildlife conservation projects in South America, Africa and Thailand. In addition to providing much needed funds for these programs, our personnel have been involved in field research as well.

The Wild Encounters Tour is a guided walk through a fifty acre preserve  just 17 miles South of Barefoot Landing, where you'll meet tigers, wolves, leopards, chimpanzees, orangutans, and other endangered species, many of them up-close and un-caged! During the tour professional photographers shoot studio quality photographs and video of the tour and the T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve experience. This gives you the opportunity to take home a set of portraits and phenomenal videos that are incomparable to any other photo opportunity.

Frequently asked questions:

Where is the tour located?

The tour is located on our 50 acre preserve in Myrtle Beach, SC. It is about 15 miles south of Barefoot Landing. Exact directions will ONLY be given to those who have tour reservations. For the privacy and safety of our animals, guests and personnel our address is not published and will not be given out.

How do I find out whether a particular day is available for the tour?
If you are looking for a particular day for the tour and would like to find out if availability still exists before you make a reservation please fill out a tour request at www.myrtlebeachsafari.com/signup or you can simply send us an email with the days you are looking for and we can let you know if we have availability that day. You can also make inquiries at our tour desk at Preservation Station.

How old do you have to be to be on the tour?
The minimum age for the tour is 6 years of age. This is due to the amount time and attention needed to really enjoy the experience of our tour and tends to be too long and contain too many necessary instructions for younger children.

How many days in advance should I book the tour?
If you are looking for a particular day, we recommend booking at least a couple weeks in advance. You can book as far in advance as you'd like and if we have availability up to the night before.

How long is the tour, when do we need to arrive and when should we expect to be done?
You have to arrive for the VIP Wild Encounter Tour at 9:15am. The Tour will begin at 10am and will end around approximately 1pm. As you will have the opportunity to look though all of the photos taken of your family/group and choose the one(s) you would like to have printed, exact time of departure will vary from group to group. If you have somewhere that you need to be after the tour and need to leave by a certain time please let our staff know and we will do our best to accommodate you.



Go online and visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information about the Rare Species Fund, the tour and Tigers Preserve.  Come to see the White Tigers, a liger and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

Good day from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach, SC!  Got plans for the weekend?  The weather will be spectacular and tomorrow is THE BIG DAY.  The greatest Myrtle Beach attraction opens for the 2013 season!

There are two ways to experience the greatest hands-on, interactive wildlife encounter in the world. You can visit T.I.G.E.R.S. Preservation Station, located at Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach for free! Or you can take the T.I.G.E.R.S. Wild Encounter Tour in Myrtle Beach.

Wild Encounters Tour is a guided walk through a fifty acre preserve in Myrtle Beach, just 17 miles South of Barefoot Landing, where you'll meet tigers, wolves, leopards, chimpanzees, orangutans, and other endangered species, many of them up-close and un-caged! During the tour professional photographers shoot studio quality photographs and video of the tour and the T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve experience. This gives you the opportunity to take home a set of portraits and phenomenal videos that are incomparable to any other photo opportunity.

This is the best way for you to support our ongoing breeding and international conservation projects and get hands on with what we do.

By attending the tour you get one comlimentary 8X10 photo per group of your choice from your tour. However we highly recommend our Photo CD.  Our Photo CD is a professional CD portfolio of you and the animals on the tour. It has each person in your group individually with the animals, your group together with the animals, candid shots of your day and photos of the animals themselves. You end up with several hundred photos that you have the right to reproduce as long as it is not for commerial puposes like ads, billboards, movie and television.

Wild Encounter Tours
5 days a week from
March 16, 2013 through October 12, 2013
Tours are on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday,
beginning at 10:00am and lasting approx. 3 hours.

Click here to request a Wild Encounters Tour online
OR
call 843-361-4552

Come to see the White Tigers, a liger and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

Hi and good Friday afternoon from T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve in South Carolina.  Dr. Bhagavan Antle has a Myrtle Beach Safari for you to visit in Myrtle Beach.  You can see up close and personal a variety of endangered Tigers Species as well as several other endangered wildlife species.  It is a one of a kind Myrtle Beach Attraction.

Like Dr. Antle and his staff, other projects give way to vision, missions, beliefs, and efforts to save individual animals, animal populations and habitats all over the world.  See below:

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass., Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW- www.ifaw.org) announced today an emergency grant to rescue the last remaining 10 big cats from Riverglen Tiger Sanctuary near Mountainburg, Arkansas. The funds are being used to build temporary enclosures for the tigers at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR), located 80 miles to the north.

Efforts to rescue the felines got underway in November of last year when the Crawford County sheriff contacted TCWR staff. The sheriff reported a total of 34 big cats including tigers, leopards and cougars housed in enclosures in such state of disrepair that it was described as a "ticking time bomb." The owner, a 72 year-old woman suffering from health complications, opted to surrender all of the animals.

"The housing conditions have deteriorated significantly and are now too insecure to contain big cats, especially tigers. It is as unsafe for the animals as it is for the public," said Kelly Donithan , IFAW Animal Rescue Officer. "We want to relocate the animals to TCWR as soon as possible so that they can be safely housed and receive the proper care they require."   

The three-month rescue operation will conclude at the end of the month when the tigers are safely crated and loaded into a rescue trailer for the trip up to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, AR.

"Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is honored to have the help and support from IFAW," said Tanya Smith , TCWR President. "Together we are making a difference for each of the animals we are relocating."  

"Surprisingly, while some state regulations make big cat pet ownership difficult, keeping big cats as pets or for mere profit is generally legal in the United States," said Tracy Coppola , IFAW US Campaigns Officer.  "As a result, casualties and dangerous incidents continue to pile up."

"Adding to this problem is the fact that many unscrupulous exhibitors breed and keep baby tigers and other big cat species in order to be handled and photographed by paying customers," Coppola continued.  "After the animals grow too big, they are often sent to roadside zoos, kept in backyards, or even killed."

IFAW is working to pass the Big Cats and Public Safety Protection Act, a bill that will soon get reintroduced this Congress to phase out private possession and breeding of big cats in the U.S. and require people who currently possess them to register those animals with the USDA.

 

Since 2003, IFAW has helped rescue more than 133 tigers, lions, and other big cats from unsanctioned shelters, closing sanctuaries and other poor and unsafe living conditions in the US.

Visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information about the Rare Species Fund, the tour and Tigers Preserve.  Come to see the ligers and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

Good Friday afternoon from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach!  Did you know there are two attractions here where you can get up close with wild animals?   T.I.G.E.R.S Preserve and Preservation Station are wildlife exhibits and living tiger habitats. At both, you will find the chance to meet some of the world’s most amazing animals up-close and in-person while they play and relax in an outdoor environment. You will see 60 big cats, apes, tigers, grey wolves, a liger and Bubbles the Elephant.

I was talking today with someone who took the tour last summer and she told me her favorite part of the tour was the orangutans.  I had to agree since I was there as well.  It was so much fun to watch them  playing and laughing while we enjoyed a mid-afternoon tea party.

Make it a point to visit T.I.G.E.R.S., their season begins next month!

Did you hear this?

The Baltimore Ravens have an ape in their corner for Super Bowl XLVII, which is nice.

An orangutan at a Utah zoo has predicted the winning Super Bowl team each of the past five years. The ape, named Eli, is picking the Baltimore Ravens this time around.

Eli made his pick by knocking down a papier mache goal post decorated with the Ravens logo. He ignored the 49ers post.

Eli's pick of the Ravens is consistent with the prognostication of Princess the camel. But Boone the black rhino, named after 49ers offensive lineman Alex Boone, is going with San Francisco.

Hogle Zoo spokeswoman Erica Hansen said Eli has hesitated in years past, but charged toward the Ravens side this year. He then joined his mate and daughter in chowing down on the edible posts.

At least he's confident.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Want to meet the apes and Bubbles the elephant for yourself?  You can at T.I.G.E.R.S. (The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species); this is a one of kind Myrtle Beach Attraction.  On this tour, you will also see amazing animals at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.  For reservations, go to www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.
 
 

Good afternoon again from T.I.G.E.R.S. and Preservation Station in Myrtle Beach!  

A couple of weeks ago, I posted about a horrific case of elephant poaching that took place in Kenya’s oldest, largest and most stunningly beautiful national parks.  

Even after years of conservation, we are still seeing wildlife crime on a huge scale. Wildlife crime is now the most urgent threat to three of the world’s best-loved species—elephants, rhinos and tigers.

Illegal wildlife trade is now estimated to be between $7.8 and $10 billion per year. It is a major deal with activity worldwide—along with weapons, drugs and human trafficking. These traders and kingpins are rarely arrested, prosecuted, convicted or punished.

These species cannot survive high levels of poaching for long.

Some good news this week:

A WWF App Teaches Us About Endangered Species…and Folding Them into Memorable Origami Art

By: Joe Berkowitz

World Wildlife Fund’s iPad app brings users closer than ever to some of the world’s rarest creatures and even lets them make origami portraits.

The World Wildlife Fund is letting its fans keep some of the world’s rarest creatures at just an iPad’s length away.

Recently, the WWF rolled out its first iPad app, WWF Together, which is available in the iTunes store. Created by digital agency AKQA, the new app puts users right in the mix with some of the endangered animals the WWF strives to protect, in unexpected ways. Using interactive features, WWF Together reveals the story of eight different animals, with new ones set to add regularly going forward.

Each animal’s story unfolds through fascinating trivia, hi-def videos, and animal portraits by renowned environmental photographer Morten Koldby. WWF makes the most of the iPad’s functionality to enhance the user experience, letting you swipe sea ice to unearth polar bear facts, or use the device’s camera for a simulation of tiger vision.

Perhaps best of all, though, the animals’ stories conclude with a portrait that utilizes the Japanese folding art of origami. Users will eventually download origami instructions for each animal, and share the results with friends on Facebook.

Visit T.I.G.E.R.S., a 50-acre preserve in Myrtle Beach, home to over 60 big cats. Monkey around with our apes, watch tigers swim and meet our grey wolves. Fly trained falcons, get the feel for our “cubs” and you may even get to meet Bubbles the Elephant. This is the only place in the world where you get to meet the Liger, the world’s largest cat as seen in the 2006 Guiness Book of World Records!

T.I.G.E.R.S. wants to see you this spring, please visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information on the animals, the Director and the tour.  See you soon!!

 

Good afternoon and good Friday to all from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach!  Do you love animals?  Did you know there are two attractions here where you can get up close with wild animals?   T.I.G.E.R.S Preserve and Preservation Station are wildlife exhibits and living tiger habitats. At both, you will find the chance to meet some of the world’s most amazing animals up-close and in-person while they play and relax in an outdoor environment. You will see Bengal tigers, Siberian tigers, Royal White Bengal tigers and of course, the Golden Tabby tiger, presented by a loving and dedicated staff. 

 

Enjoy this interesting article I found on one lucky White Tiger:

By Keith Reid
kreid@recordnet.com
Record Staff Writer
December 05, 2012 12:00 AM

LODI - Bob Ringo cringed while peering through a window into the surgery room at Lodi's Arbor Pet Clinic on Tuesday, watching as his 16-year-old white tiger Twix underwent a tail amputation.

Ringo, 62, raised Twix since birth at his Cave Junction, Ore., Tiger Preservation Center. He was heartbroken on Thanksgiving when another tiger clawed and bit Twix's tail, leaving major gashes in the appendage. After being injured, the 300-pound cat would not leave the injury alone, and tried to lick it until it healed. The tail became infected.

"I can't bear to watch it," Ringo said. "I'd be in there if it was something else. But, this ... this is hard to watch."

Twix is said to be a "sweetheart" that enjoys human interaction. She suffered a back injury four years ago that made her slow enough to put her in a position where she could not avoid the Thanksgiving day tail injury.

The Tuesday surgery was performed by Dr. Richard Turner at his Lodi office. Turner has become known as one of the top big cat veterinarians in the northwest. Ringo said Oregon veterinarians don't have the expertise or desire to work on large cats.

So, Ringo and a friend put Twix in the back of a minivan and drove 400 miles for the surgery. The 3-foot long tail has a diameter of about four inches at the base. Turner worked to cauterize the veins and safely remove the tail of the sedated tiger. The tail would be sent for cremation.

Turner's staff performed a dental cleaning at the same time.

"Dr. Turner and Dr. Lindsay Phillips are the best," Ringo said. Phillips is a former University of California, Davis veterinarian that assisted Turner on Tuesday's surgery.

Ringo's Tiger Preservation Center is a non-profit rescue. There are 12 tigers, two lions, and a leopard living at the shelter, Ringo said.

Turner said he's proud to be able to perform surgeries and dental work on tigers and other large cats because most species are either endangered or close to being endangered. He said white tigers are under siege in other parts of the world, and lion bones are used for aphrodisiacs, which leads to poaching.

White tigers are Bengal tigers. Their color comes from a recessive gene that makes their fur white with black stripes instead of orange with black stripes. They are rare, but can be found in India.

"We got everything taken care of, and I don't think there's going to be any swelling. She's all ready for recovery and heading back home," Turner said.

Come and cuddle up and get hands-on with a variety of animals while they sit on your lap.  Visit Preservation Station or T.I.G.E.R.S. the 50-acre preserve in Myrtle Beach, home to over 60 big cats. Monkey around with our apes, watch tigers swim and meet our grey wolves. Fly trained falcons, get the feel for our “cubs” and you may even get to meet Bubbles the Elephant. This is the only place in the world where you get to meet the Liger, the world’s largest cat as seen in the 2006 Guiness Book of World Records!

All proceeds from the TIGERS Tour and Preservation Station in Myrtle Beach go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

Hi From Myrtle Beach!  I've posted many times about Nature Conservationists and their efforts to rescue endangered animals. A perfect place for these creatures is an animal sanctuary.  Unlike animal shelters, sanctuaries do not seek to place animals with individuals or groups, instead maintaining each animal until his or her natural death.

Please enjoy the following recent article:

KENDALL COUNTY, Texas -- "Wild and exotic animals at an area animal sanctuary that have been rescued from trafficking and inhumane treatments are getting some much needed help from television legend Bob Barker.

A woman running the Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation facility reached out to Barker for help and what came after that may surprise you.

The animal sanctuary has been saving thousands of mammals, birds and reptiles since 1977. It's a 187 acre facility located near Kendalia in Kendall County. Because the sanctuary commits to taking care of the animals for life, their founder Lynn Cuny said they have a lot of expenses.

That’s why Lynn decided to reach out to well known animal lover Bob Barker for help.

She said, “This sanctuary here is very unique in that these animals have, like these monkeys and these lemurs have space in which to live that is very natural”.

Lynn has rescued many exotic creatures from the underground pet trade world.

“We also rescue them from road side zoos”.

Many times these types of animals are victimized when taken out of their natural habitat and sold as pets. But Lynn says they are not pets. They’re wild animals that require special care which can be costly.

“Like every non-profit organization there's always times when you, when things are tight financially tight and we're not immune to that either,” said Lynn.

That’s why she reached out to Bob Barker's foundation known for donating to such causes.
Initially she asked for $5,000 to buy an avian ventilator. Then she was surprised to get a call from Barker himself.

“He said that we probably could use a little bit extra money. And I said always, so he said I’m going to give you $250,000”.

The Wildlife Rescue facility operates on a $2 million budget a year so this will be a big step for next year to feed and care for the animals.

If you'd like to donate or simply find out more information about Kendall County-based Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation, visit their website www.wildlife-rescue.org."
-Reported by: Laurie Salazar

There is a 50-acre Animal Sanctuary Attraction just minutes from Myrtle Beach.  T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve hosts tigers, wolves, leopards, chimpanzees, orangutans, and other endangered species and even a liger (a cross between a lion and a tiger, and it weighs over 900 lbs!).  

When you take the tour, you are not only witnessing an amazing animal show, you are helping out with support, research and conservation projects for Endangered wildlife species and the rare species fund.  For additional information, visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.

It's another beautiful day here in Myrtle Beach, SC!!!  I hope you enjoy the posts and comments you read here.  I have written about the animals; tigers, ligers, panthers, orangutans, and other exotic animals.  I've also kept you up to date on the Director, Dr. Bhagavan Antle and the T.I.G.E.R.S. staff and their efforts and their dedication to  global conservation.  Now read below what others are saying:

"Safari!  This is a profession preserve for the endangered big cats; our closest relatives-chimps etc.; and oh yes, and a pet elephant! Extensive interactive experience. Up close and personal.  I can not say enough and I will return!  - Leslie M. October 12, 2012

" Awesome Experience!  While planning a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC, I saw an ad for this place and thought it might be fun. Well...words can't describe the feeling I had while holding that tiger cub for a photo. And the monkey...he was just too cute & funny. Anyone of any age will love & appreciate this place and what they do." - Melynda H. October 12, 2012

"What a great experience! I took my daughter and her friend (ages 22 and 24) here for their birthdays on October 6. They are both huge animal lovers and had extremely high expectations for this trip. I have to say, their expectations were exceeded and we all had a great time here. This is truly hands on, the place is much more upscale than expected and the staff were extremely nice and accommodating. This is a once in a lifetime, unique opportunity to play with baby tigers and other animals and learn a lot about the preservation of animals and our environment. Don't miss it!" - NYPatriot October 2, 2012

" Amazing! This was simply amazing we had baby tigers crawling on us, petting wolves, holding a gibbon! Once in a lifetime experience would highly recommend it! It is expensive but worth it! They also feed you the entire time you are there. " - Forangela September 24.2012

Take the tour of T.I.G.E.R.S. preserve where you will connect with wildlife in a very intimate way and involve yourself personally in the lives of these amazing animals. Then walk away into the world with a desire to save these creatures and help preserve their environments.

Please visit, support and join T.I.G.E.R.S. and the R.S.F in their worldwide education and conservation efforts.  For more info, go to myrtlebeachsafari.com and rarespeciesfund.org.

It's another beautiful day at  T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve and Preservation Station in Myrtle Beach!  You already know “Doc” Antle from his appearances on “The Tonight Show” with Jay Leno, Good Morning America, “The Today Show”, Animal Planet, National Geographic, and as spokesperson for CNN’s programs on big cats. The conservation world knows him for his groundbreaking work as advocate and
wildlife conservationist. This just out this week: Antle's new book, Fierce Beauty gets October release.  

Fierce Beauty is a vibrant photographic celebration of the beauty, power, and grace of the tigers, leopards, lions, ocelots, and other wild cats that inhabit the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS). This wildlife preserve in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is home to more than one hundred rare animals, from ligers (a hybrid cross between a male lion and a tigress) that stretch nearly twelve feet long to cheetahs capable of running seventy miles per hour.

The intimate photographs in Fierce Beauty showcase these spectacular creatures in a natural setting, revealing their vibrant form and striking personalities and highlighting their significance in the world and the importance of protecting them. The more than three hundred images in Fierce Beauty, which artfully capture playful, tender, and imposing moments with wild cats, are accompanied by essays by such animal-rights luminaries as zoologist and TV personality Jim Fowler and Dakota Zoo director Terry Lincoln, among others, and a foreword by renowned actor and activist Robert Duvall. Discover what makes these animals unique cohabitants of mankind with dozens of exclusive never-before-seen portraits from preeminent nature photographers Tim Flach and Barry Bland.

Fierce Beauty is a treat for wildlife enthusiasts, cat lovers, and photography buffs of all stripes. Proceeds from the book help fund the preservation efforts of the Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (TIGERS).

Bhagavan Antle is the director of the TIGERS wildlife preserve in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and the founder of the Rare Species Fund, which supports animal conservation projects around the world.

Robert Duvall is an American actor and director, starring in some of the most acclaimed and popular films and TV shows of all time. He and his wife, Luciana Pedraza, are active supporters of Pro Mujer, a nonprofit charity organization dedicated to helping Latin America's poorest women, and of efforts to preserve endangered species, particularly tigers.

Intended to stir emotions and raise awareness of the challenges to wildlife preservation, check out Fierce Beauty.

For more information on Dr. Antle, T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve, Preservation Station, and the Feline Conservation Federation, please visit myrtlebeachsafari.com

Hello again from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach.  Most of us have seen and heard of exotic animals in literature, video games, television and comic books.  Tigers, ligers, apes, and the like are magnificent creatures that possess an amazing combination of wonder and beauty.  Please enjoy the following article from The Boston Globe.

CARVER — You have to go to the very edge of “Carvershire” to see them. You have to walk past the wise-cracking guy with the penciled-on mustache cracking his whip, past the booths selling turkey legs and yards of beer. Not over by the fire-breathing human blockhead, the other way, next to the jousting fields. That's where you'll find them, just as you have for the past 30 years, the world's biggest cats — one a 900-pounder stretching out his body and drinking milk out of a baby bottle.

So after you’re done shopping for a sword, you can go see some of the rarest animals in the world, Dr. Bhagavan Antle brings the cats up from his 50-acre preserve in Myrtle Beach, S.C. He comes for an annual eight-week visit to King Richard’s Faire, the Renaissance fair that has operated every fall in Carver for more than 30 years. This year’s menagerie includes a baby chimp and a baby puma and Hercules the liger — the offspring of a male lion and female tiger, the biggest of the big cats.

On a visit during the week before the fair opened, sounds from a rehearsal floated from the King’s Stage — this year’s musical is “The Stolen Crown Affair” — past the rows of wooden benches in front of the Tiger Stage.

Antle, resembling Penn Jillette in solid build and radio-ready voice, shares the magician’s understanding that the audience is the absolute engine. Antle’s message is all passion and education: If the tigers’ environment crumbles, ours is next.

“Saving these animals is paramount to saving the world,’’ said Antle. “You’ve got to help take care of them.”

There’s not much of a “show” in the big cat show Antle presents at King Richard’s. There are no circus tricks, no flaming hoops or bicycle rides. While assistant Robert Johnson serves as host, Antle and trainers China York and Chris Heiden walk the animals out onstage and lead them up onto a table so the crowd can see and take pictures. Johnson’s talk includes a few well-worn jokes and a lot of information about the history and future of tigers.

The education comes between the oohing and aahing and camera clicks, with plenty of plugs for the importance of conservation, and how that requires cash.

Vali the year-old chimp and Santi the baby puma come out, as does a royal white tiger and a golden tabby. The bigger cats wear heavy chain collars. As gentle as they appear and as comfortable as they seem onstage, the animals still have all of their claws and teeth and are very powerful. The trainers let Johnson do the talking while they are ever mindful. - John Vitt

Animal attraction T.I.G.E.R.S. tour in Myrtle Beach is the best hands on animal experience in the World. For more information visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.
 

Good afternoon from T.I.G.E.R.S. once again!

Imagine an animal who is big enough to eat three times the weight of a grown man in one day and is fast enough to outrun a human. An animal that can drink six hundred cups of water a day and swim for six hours non-stop, and is happy both in and out of the water.

Now imagine sitting on the bank of the Waccamaw River near Myrtle Beach and encountering one of these large animals with someone riding on her back.

I'm talking about Bubbles the elephant and she's worked on Ace Ventura: Pet Detective with Jim Carrey and on Dr Dolittle with Eddie Murphy. Bubbles also appeared in a Janet Jackson music video.  She's used to an audience.

Bubbles has become a true member of the T.I.G.E.R.S. family.

Enjoy what I found in the news this week:


SAN DIEGO (CNS) - The African elephant herd at San Diego Zoo Safari Park expanded Wednesday with the birth of a female calf.

The 205-pound offspring born to mother Swazi at 3:39 a.m. was up and walking within minutes, and "both are doing well," according to a San Diego Zoo Safari Park statement.

Within hours, the new calf made its public debut on the park's live elephant cam, accessible at sdzsafaripark.org.

Swazi, which means "the fearful leader," is head of the Safari Park's African elephant herd consisting of a dozen pachyderms, eight of which were born at the North County attraction formerly known as the Wild Animal Park.

Swazi is believed to be around 21 years old and is one of four herd members born in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

The yet-to-be-named newborn calf is her second offspring. Her first, Macembe -- pronounced ma-calm-bay -- was born on April 12, 2010, and remains a part of the Safari Park herd.

While "Mac" was present for his sister's birth, he was then separated from her and their mother to allow them to bond and nurse. Mac and two other young elephants in the herd stood close in an adjacent yard and reached out with their trunks to smell and touch the newborn, according to park officials.

The gestation period for an elephant is about 22 months.

Animal keepers said Swazi's water broke early Sunday morning, so they instituted a 24-hour watch, knowing from previous experience that labor doesn't immediately follow. That was the case again this time, with labor beginning around 3 this morning.

The Safari Park is now home to 13 elephants -- four adults and nine youngsters.

Swazi and other adults were in the Kingdom of Swaziland -- a small country mostly surrounded by South Africa -- in 2003 when they were rescued by the San Diego Zoo before they were culled. - www.kusi.com

Want to meet Bubbles for yourself?  You can at T.I.G.E.R.S. (The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species); this is a one of kind Myrtle Beach Attraction.  On this tour, you will also see White Tigers, a liger and other amazing animals at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.  For reservations, go to www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.
 

Good afternoon once again from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach.

Many people don't know that there is an interactive animal preserve and educational tour in Myrtle Beach.   T.I.G.E.R.S. and Preservation Station were created as a wildlife education organization, dedicated to promoting global conservation with informative, educational, and entertaining interactive programs. Director Dr. Bhagavan Antle works closely with international wildlife conservation projects in South America, Africa and Thailand. In addition to providing much needed funds for these programs, The personnel have been involved in field research as well.

Read what others are saying:

“DO THIS!”  This was the most amazing 3 hours ever. I was worried with 50 people there it would be impersonal and not worth it, but I couldn't have been more wrong. My favorite part was the playtime with the baby tigers and the end when we got to meet and interact with Roscoe and his BFF, Suryia the orangutan. Oh and meeting Bubbles the elephant--gorgeous girl! Ok, and when we got to hold the baby chimp. There are several staff surrounding you the whole time who are eager to chat and educate you. Seriously, skip the beach, the ridiculous zip line, and the cheesy souvenirs -- go on this tour!!!
Littlesuz Reviewed August 20, 2012

“Love seeing the tigers!” Love seeing all the beautiful tigers! The girls loved them!!! You can have your pictures taken with them something that they will always have and keep as a memory....My granddaughter one year had her picture taken with a cub and she got to hold a monkey.....You have to visit the TIGERS Preservation Station....you can also purchase souveniers!
SAR245 Reviewed August 20, 2012

“Awesome!!”  Do the tour, its unreal. The money goes toward the animals. Only place in world you can play with baby tigers, monkies, etc.
StarLinXRick Reviewed August 19, 2012

“Awesome!!”  My husband and I did the tour and were so impressed by it that we went back the next year with our children and grandchildren. Worth every penny and more when you get to actually touch a tiger!
Nancy W Reviewed August 16, 2012

Guests at the Preserve and Preservation Station enjoy wondrous experiences which live on for a lifetime in the hundreds of individual and group high end professional photographs and video we take of them on this once in a lifetime journey.

 Go online and visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information about the Rare Species Fund, the tour and Tigers Preserve.  Come to see the ligers and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

It's another beautiful day here in Myrtle Beach, SC!!!  Most people don't know when they visit Myrtle Beach that there is an interactive animal preserve and tour just miles down the road.   T.I.G.E.R.S.  was created as a wildlife education organization, dedicated to promoting global conservation with informative, educational, and entertaining interactive programs. Dr. Bhagavan Antle works closely with international wildlife conservation projects in South America, Africa and Thailand. In addition to providing much needed funds for these programs, our personnel have been involved in field research as well.

Take the tour of T.I.G.E.R.S. preserve where you will connect with wildlife in a very intimate way and involve yourself personally in the lives of these amazing animals. Then walk away into the world with a desire to save these creatures and help preserve their environments.

 

During the one of a kind show, you see the animals interacting with their handlers who have developed a very special rapport with the animals.It is a bond of lifelong companionship starting from the moment the animals are born. This is a very special kind of Wildlife presentation with the world's rarest big cats. With T.I.G.E.R.S you will observe and learn about many rare and unique animals, in a new and completely different way. You will not see our animals sleeping or pacing in cages, as you may find in "traditional" zoos. Instead you will have a look at some of the most magnificent creatures on Earth up close and uncaged you can see and photograph the animals climbing and jumping and doing all the natural activities they would normally do in the wild.Why go to such great lengths? Because the trainers at T.I.G.E.R.S. feel that if people can get an up-close and educational view of these glorious beasts, they will be eager to learn of the plight of endangered species.

 

Go online and visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information about the Rare Species Fund, the tour and Tigers Preserve.  Come to see the White Tigers, a liger and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

On our vacation in mid-August to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, I and my 20-year old daughter, Melissa, had a once-in-a-life-time, exciting hands-on, exotic animal safari experience. It included Bengal and Siberian tigers, Royal White Bengal tigers and the rarest tiger in the world, the Golden Tabby tiger being fed milk by staff with baby bottles! While staff handled the adult tigers, we individually experienced the baby tigers “cubs” walking on our laps and legs. It was priceless to have cubs sitting in our laps and my daughter to be using a baby bottle to feed a tiger cub. While we had heard of, we had never seen up close a most unusual and rare “Liger”; a cross between a male lion and female tiger. At the Preserve, we had our photo taken in front of this 12-feet-long male liger named Hercules who weighs over 900 lbs. Wolves were also allowed to walk around us and we could pet and feel them up close. We were sniffed, touched and fed “Bubbles”, a 26 year old African Elephant, over 9 feet tall weighing almost 4 tons. We interacted with the Rafiki Baboons and saw, felt and fed some orangutans and chimpanzees who were swinging and hanging from overhead supports an/or ambling around checking out the visitors (touching my teeth because I was smiling so broadly)! We saw an animal we had never even heard of called a “Binturong.” It was covered with long, coarse black fur. We sat on benches and it ran from person to person over our legs and laps. Bints have a prehensile tail used as a fifth hand to help them maneuver between tree branches. I'll never forget the scent of a binturong - it smelled like frito-corn chips! We were shown a film made about Suryia, the orangutan, and when she first met Roscoe, a stray dog who was taken in at the Preserve. It showed how the blue tick hound was immediately accepted by the orangutan and how they became fast friends. We saw several tigers running at full speed (in 3 steps they get up to 45 mph) and we saw them, as well as, orangutans swimming across a clear pool with their trainers. This was the most exciting exotic animal adventure ever! A friend asked if I was scared and I told her, not except for the time I was walking close to the alligator in the pond and stumbled toward the pond! There were about 20 staff guarding the animals and 80 visitors and I felt safe. The tour was well orchestrated, narrated, enough time given for everyone to do what they wanted and nicely timed refreshments and drinks. The staff were knowledgeable and friendly. I wish all my friends who love animals could enjoy this rare opportunity. My daughter's reaction at the end was "Wow, I'm so glad we did this! I'll remember this my whole life."

Name: Helen S. Hinshaw
City: Midlothian
State: Virginia

Good day from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach!!  Where can you experience the greatest hands-on, up-close and un-caged animal tour?

The T.I.G.E.R.S. Wild Encounter Tour is a guided walk through a beautiful 50-acre preserve. The state-of-the-art facility offers the ideal setting that ensures the animals’ comfort and the visitors’ safety. On the Wild Encounter Tour you will interact with our uncaged apes, orangutans, and chimpanzees; watch tigers swim; meet our gray wolves and get the feel for our “cubs” on your lap.  

 

 

You will also meet Bubbles the elephant who became a member of the family in 1984.  The "little girl" is now 27 years old and over 9 feet tall, weighing almost 4 tons. She loves to go for rides through the countryside, while browsing on greenery, and swimming in the inter coastal waterway which is next to her home. Bubbles has a very affectionate relationship with everyone since she works very little, unlike a circus elephant. Bubbles has had her moments of fame though. She has starred in Ace Ventura II, Malaika - HBO Special Movie, a Janet Jackson video and even some magazine photo shoots and ads. They would never trade these last 20 happy years; the moments and memories will last a lifetime.

Enjoy this timely article:

Chendra, an Asian elephant at the Oregon Zoo, likes to take morning walks with her handlers. One day, she stopped by the zoo's Steller Cove. There, a sea lion named Gus came out to greet her. The result? A super cute photo-op sure to brighten anyone's day.

According to an email from zoo spokesperson Michael Dunham, this photo was taken in 2007 and was not digitally manipulated in any way. Dunham told The Huffington Post that the elephants aren't walked around in the morning anymore.

African and Asian elephants face danger due to poaching, hunting, habitat destruction and mistreatment in captivity, but there are numerous conservation groups worldwide that advocate for elephant protection.

On Aug. 12, the Elephant Reintroduction Foundation celebrated its first World Elephant Day, an international day of awareness.

In the wild, threats to sea lions include pollution, habitat degradation, illegal hunting, and boat strikes or entanglement in fishing equipment, according to the Oregon Zoo website.

Sea lions are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, but sometimes fishermen will shoot and kill them for interfering with their salmon catch. The Huffington Post  |  Posted: 08/16/2012


Bubbles the Elephant lives at the 50 acre T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve, in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with over 100 other animals. Bubbles and her other animal friends are part of a wild life conservation effort called The Rare Species Fund.

The Founder and Director, Dr. Bhagavan Antle works closely with international wildlife conservation projects in South America, Africa and Thailand. In addition to providing much needed funds for these programs, our personnel have been involved in field research as well.

Go online and visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information about the Rare Species Fund, the tour and Tigers Preserve.  Come to see the White Tigers, a liger and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund and The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species.

Hi from Preservation Station and T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve in Myrtle Beach!  Hope you all are having a grrrreat week! 

Wildlife preserves offer programs that provide glimpses to endangered species. A wonderful place to experience wildlife while helping protect wild and endangered species is Preservation Station and the T.I.G.E.R.S.Wild Encounter Tour near Myrtle Beach.  Here you will have a look at some of the most magnificent creatures on Earth up close and uncaged AND you can see and photograph the animals climbing and jumping and doing all the natural activities they would normally do in the wild.

 

Enjoy this article from , USA TODAY By Rebecca Lurye:

"Motherhood always brings monumental responsibilities, but the challenges may be even greater for big cats in the wild as their ranks dwindle under threats to their habitat and lives.

Wildlife advocates take that message to the small screen this weekend to raise awareness of the dangers facing the world's dwindling population of leopards, cheetahs, and tigers. .Filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert feature two such animals in The Unlikely Leopard, the latest effort in National Geographic's push to "cause an uproar" over the worsening plight of big cats around the world. It premieres at 9 p.m. Sunday on Nat Geo WILD.

As viewers watch The Unlikely Leopard, which follows the trials of a mother leopard raising her male cub in the Botswana savannah, Beverly Joubert said she and her husband hope people are inspired by the leopards' individuality and character.

"Once people can get to know a leopard the way we do, the great individual character and personality, they'll understand why it's so important to protect these cats in Africa," she says.

Though conservationists have made global efforts to protect big cats, they still face stacked odds due to threats from habitat destruction and hunting.

Conflicts also arise when communities feel the animals threaten their livestock and their livelihood. On June 21, six lions in Kenya were killed after they strayed less than 10 miles from the border of Nairobi National Park, one of the most stringently protected wildlife reserves on the continent.

According to National Geographic and wild cat conservation organization Panthera:

•Leopard numbers have slimmed from 750,000 to as few as 50,000 over the past 50 years.

•Cheetahs have vanished from more than 75% of their natural habitat in Africa, including six countries they previously occupied.

•The fewer than 3,500 remaining wild tigers are now outnumbered by those living in captivity,

Andrew Wetzler, co-director of land and wildlife at the environmental group Natural Resources Defense Council, said big cats are much more valuable than the price of their pelt or livestock saved by hunting them down. The carnivores maintain a fragile balance in their ecosystems.

"Their presence or absence really affects the entire natural community, from birds to plants and flowers, and even insect life," Wetzler says.

To help, Dereck Joubert says people can forgo fur clothing, donate to non-profit organizations and spread awareness.

"At this rate, we're going to see extinction of these fantastic jewels of the forest in the next 10 to 15 years," says Dereck Joubert. "We're gathering momentum, but we really do need an army of supporters or we will lose these cats.""

 

Visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com for more information about the Rare Species Fund, Preservation Station and the T.I.G.E.R.S. tour.  Come to see the White Tigers, a liger and other amazing animals in Myrtle Beach at one of the most exciting animal adventures ever.  All proceeds from the tour go to The Rare Species Fund.

Hi From Myrtle Beach!  The mild temperatures that we enjoyed earlier this month have risen to triple digits.  I was in Garden City earlier this week and was amazed at the crowds.  It's awesome that we live in a place where there is so much to do.  Of course, there is the ocean, but there are so many other things besides going to the beach.  

Many don't know that there is a 50-acre animal attraction just minutes from Myrtle Beach.  T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve hosts tigers, wolves, leopards, chimpanzees, orangutans, and other endangered species and even a liger (a cross between a lion and a tiger, and it weighs over 900 lbs!).    

 

T.I.G.E.R.S. was founded by Dr. Bhagavan Antle. He is one of the World’s foremost trainers of big cats and other exotic animals.  Some of these animals are the rare and on the list of endangered species; Golden Tabby Tigers, Siberian & Bengal, Tigers, Panthers, Leopards, Royal White Tigers, Lions and Jaguars.  There is even one of the most unusual animals in the world, the Liger.  This Gentle Giant is over 11 foot tall and 900 lbs. and is a cross between a male lion and female tiger.  The famous Rafiki Baboons there  Co-Starred in Ace Ventura with Jim Carrey and in Mr. Magoo with Leslie Nelson as well as Jungle Book. Bubbles the elephant starred in Dr. Dolittle and Ace Ventura when Nature Calls.

Guests at the T..I.G.E.R.S. Preserve enjoy wondrous experiences which live on for a lifetime in the hundreds of individual and group high end professional photographs and video we take of them on this once in a lifetime journey. They leave the tour with images that only a few privileged photographers and explorers on safari have captured after years of travel; a tiger or cheetah running at full speed or swimming across a clear pool, the great apes sliding through the canopy or a large tusked elephant just a breath away. You can tell from their pictures and the letters they send us how it has changed them. This experience happens every day.

 

So if you live here or you're just visiting, go see the amazing animal exhibit located in Myrtle Beach.   T.I.G.E.R.S. Preservation Station is a wildlife exhibit and living tiger museum with all proceeds benefiting the rarest tiger in the world, the Golden Tabby tiger. It is located near Myrtle Beach.  For information, please visit, www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.

Good sunny afternoon from T.I.G.E.R.S. in Myrtle Beach, SC.  It's been a few weeks since we were out at the Preserve and I haven't written about it yet.  It's alway wonderful and our last visit was no exception.  

After passing a few homes on a gravel road, we turned into the parking area and approached the 8-foot-high gate.  We parked and waited.  It was a little early in the morning for me so I sat quietly, sipping my coffee. I wanted to be sure I finished it in case there were no other breaks during the tour.  At exactly 9:15, the gate slowly opened and we were instructed by the trainers to leave our cars and enter the gates.    

As we checked in inside the reception area, we were offered some of the most wonderful coffee I'd ever tasted.  It was a real treat!  

Once outside of the reception area, we were introduced to a Guiness Book of World Records-holder-900 lb, 12-feet-long male liger named Hercules and then on to another exhibit area where we met Bubbles the 26 year old, 9 feet tall, almost 4 tons.elephant.  Again, we were treated to a beverage (yummy tea) and some awesome vegetarian snacks.  It was delightful.

We followed the trainers to the area where the chimps were hanging out and had our picture made. 

 

 

Our mouths dropped wide open at the sight of these amazing animals.  As we were leaving that area, we were offered fresh fruit.  It was almost time for the tour to be over so we entered a covered place to sit and watch Bubbles, Roscoe the dog and some of the orangutans play in the swimming pool with the trainers.

We had originally planned to go to lunch after the tour but we were both very full and satisfied.    

Did I mention that during the tour, we also frolicked with an Asian bearcat and fed a cute baby tiger cub with a baby bottle? 

T.I.G.E.R.S. and Preservation Station, located in Myrtle Beach remain popular attractions.  When you take the tour, you are not only witnessing an amazing animal show, you are helping out with support, research and conservation projects for Endangered wildlife species and the rare species fund.  For additional information, visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.

My Husband and I recently married May 5th, decided Myrtle beach bike week for our honeymoon. The most amazing part of our trip was visiting the Tiger Preservation. I am a life long lover of tigers and cats. This was truely the best experience i have ever had. The Staff was great, very nice and the knowledge they shared, very interesting. Best of all seeing all the animals, tigers and Liger that are cared for very well, it shows. Holding and playing with tiger cubs was a dream come true. I am already wanting to come down to do it again.

Name: Tammy Olejniczak Dufresne
City: Oxford
State: MA

Hello from T.I.G.E.R.S. Preserve in Myrtle Beach!  We all need a break sometimes from our hectic day to day lives.  I suggest you take a visit to T.I.G.E.R.S. (The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species). This attraction near Myrtle Beach is home to some of the world’s most famous animal actors, stars of stage and screen. This is one of the most exciting animal adventures ever. T.I.G.E.R.S. is a one of a kind of zoo that gives a fresh new look at wild animals living with man. It's a zoo that comes to you.

An Animal Science Journal study noted that visitors left zoos and aquariums with lower blood pressure and rated their quality of life as improved. This gives you even more reason to flock to Myrtle Beach Safari , where you'll be treated to the “The Greatest Hands on Wildlife experience on Earth ”. See our new great ape swinger as you are entertained by our playful troop of orangutans, graceful nature of our tigers, cheetah,and leopards and the gentle sereneness of our African elephant Bubbles.They are sure to put your tension at ease so you can enjoy a relaxing day with your friends and family like no other.

So if you feel the need to relax and get wild at the same time, make reservations to this animal tour in Myrtle Beach.  

T.I.G.E.R.S. was founded by Dr. Bhagavan Antle. He is one of the World’s foremost trainers of big cats and other exotic animals.  Some of these animals are the rare and on the list of endangered species; Golden Tabby Tigers, Siberian & Bengal, Tigers, Panthers, Leopards, Royal White Tigers, Lions and Jaguars.  There is even one of the most unusual animals in the world, the Liger.  This Gentle Giant is over 11 foot tall and 900 lbs. and is a cross between a male lion and female tiger.  The famous Rafiki Baboons there  Co-Starred in Ace Ventura with Jim Carrey and in Mr. Magoo with Leslie Nelson as well as Jungle Book. Bubbles the elephant starred in Dr. Dolittle and Ace Ventura when Nature Calls.

For more information, please visit www.myrtlebeachsafari.com.  Do it today!