Check out these websites to learn about exotic cat conservation:
http://carolinatigerrescue.org/ I work here! It's a pretty snazzy place.
http://www.cheetah.org/?nd=home I want to work here! Cheetahs are like the greyhound of the big cats.
http://www.panthera.org/ This organization does some cool stuff.
http://www.care2.com/click-to-donate/big-cats/ We click, big cat habitat is helped. It's free! Do this daily... can't hurt!
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/default.cfm?fonzref=index.htm Have you visited our national zoo?
http://www.animalvoice.com/home.htm I am working with Dr. Liz von Muggenthaler this summer on cheetah bio-acoustics.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=11818011#!/group.php?gid=330346648179&ref=ts This is a facebook group started by my Captive Animal Biology class to inform on current issues in conservation.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/17/cheetahs-make-a-miraculou_n_503035.html Great news for the cheetah!
Don't forget that 2010 is the Year of the Tiger.... How can you get involved in tiger conservation? It all starts with getting informed: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/weekinreview/07marsh.html
Monday, March 29, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Black Tie and Tails Ball
Carolina Tiger Rescue is a 501(c)3 nonprofit wildlife sanctuary whose mission is saving and protecting wild cats in captivity and in the wild. A 501(c)3 organization is one that does not run off of state or government funding, but that of donations and charitable giving. In an effort to support our greater than $750,000 annual budget, we host the Black Tie and Tails Ball every year to raise funds and awareness for the cats at Carolina Tiger Rescue.
Although this is not the only event we host, it is by far the largest and most talked about. Foremost, what a ton of fun! This year's third annual ball was hosted in Durham with the theme "Journey to India" in recognition and celebration of the history of tigers (it is, after all, the Year of the Tiger). It was a no-brainer that I was going to volunteer at this event, being that it easily combined two of my favorite things in the entire world: cats and fashion. What more could any young woman ask for than to contribute to the conservation of endangered cats and look awesome while doing it? If you haven't guessed, I am talking about saris! Saris are the beautiful Indian dresses worn by Indian women for centuries and the reason I am obsessed with Bollywood. Luckily, I was able to borrow an authentic, traditional sari from a good friend so I would fit in for the night:
My job for the evening was to greet guests in the traditional Indian fashion of being sprinkled with rose water. Careful to avoid silk, I had so much fun helping guests get excited for the silent and live auctions prepared for the evening. In the hour before dinner, guests bidded during the silent portion on various packages, events, and items donated for the cause. More than a few bidding competitions ensued, and everyone had a blast bidding and giving for the cats. During dinner, a traditional Indian dance group called the "Desi Girls" performed (please visit our facebook via the link at the top of the page for pictures of the entire evening), and afterwards the live auction began! The only experience I have with auctions is being able to talk as fast as the auctioneer, so I was on my toes working as a spotter for the bids flying around the room. From vacation getaways to hot air balloon rides to candlelit dinners in the garden at Carolina Tiger Rescue, our guests were amazing in their need to contribute to our animals. In addition to the auction items, we also raised money for our Fund A Cause, which was this year to raise $5000.00 for veterinary supplies and to help support our new part-time veterinarian Dr. Lassiter. With the doctor dragged on stage to help cheer on the bids, and with one non-bidding volunteer suddenly deciding to commit $1000, we raised over our mark!
The black tie event raised almost $20,000.00 for the animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue! Although I resisted the urge to buy, well, everything, I was blown away by the generosity of individuals who donated their vacation homes or services for our organization. A few individuals decided to offer their vacation homes for a weeklong vacation package in the middle of the auction! I was particularly fond of a few of the paintings commissioned by fans of our cats, and I plan to get back on track with my own paintings (perhaps next year you will see one of my own available during the event!). We were also lucky to have with us auctioneer Matt Holiday as well as NBC 17 news anchor Donald Jones (both are big fans of our animals!). The Indian-themed marketplace featured beautiful decor as well as games and picture opportunities for guests. One game included the purchase of a ticket for the chance to win one of three precious gems, while another offered prizes such as handmade locket and charm bracelet pieces with pictures of Carolina Tiger animals. Everyone looked great and had an amazing time contributing.
With the combined help of amazing staff and volunteers, sponsors, and the graciousness of our guests, we are able to care for the animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue! Thank you so much for supporting Carolina Tiger Rescue and for helping us have a blast with conservation!
Although this is not the only event we host, it is by far the largest and most talked about. Foremost, what a ton of fun! This year's third annual ball was hosted in Durham with the theme "Journey to India" in recognition and celebration of the history of tigers (it is, after all, the Year of the Tiger). It was a no-brainer that I was going to volunteer at this event, being that it easily combined two of my favorite things in the entire world: cats and fashion. What more could any young woman ask for than to contribute to the conservation of endangered cats and look awesome while doing it? If you haven't guessed, I am talking about saris! Saris are the beautiful Indian dresses worn by Indian women for centuries and the reason I am obsessed with Bollywood. Luckily, I was able to borrow an authentic, traditional sari from a good friend so I would fit in for the night:
Practicing my swing on head curator Kathryn Burtok and development director Jennifer Brunk
The black tie event raised almost $20,000.00 for the animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue! Although I resisted the urge to buy, well, everything, I was blown away by the generosity of individuals who donated their vacation homes or services for our organization. A few individuals decided to offer their vacation homes for a weeklong vacation package in the middle of the auction! I was particularly fond of a few of the paintings commissioned by fans of our cats, and I plan to get back on track with my own paintings (perhaps next year you will see one of my own available during the event!). We were also lucky to have with us auctioneer Matt Holiday as well as NBC 17 news anchor Donald Jones (both are big fans of our animals!). The Indian-themed marketplace featured beautiful decor as well as games and picture opportunities for guests. One game included the purchase of a ticket for the chance to win one of three precious gems, while another offered prizes such as handmade locket and charm bracelet pieces with pictures of Carolina Tiger animals. Everyone looked great and had an amazing time contributing.
With the combined help of amazing staff and volunteers, sponsors, and the graciousness of our guests, we are able to care for the animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue! Thank you so much for supporting Carolina Tiger Rescue and for helping us have a blast with conservation!
The Desi Girls perform
Art and photography of our cats was auctioned during the event
Isabella Tiger
An entire month has come and gone without me saying a word about what's going on at Carolina Tiger Rescue! February is usually my favorite month because my birthday falls within those golden 28 days, but this past month has been pretty intense, as I've been pretty sick. Playing catch-up with school (and finally my blog!) has been nothing, however, to the bravery showed by Isabella Tiger:
Izzy came down with an intense urinary tract infection just before Christmas. She lost a lot of weight and muscle mass, and we were worried she would not pull through. Being an eighteen year old tigress means you aren't the pouncing hunter you once were, so Izzy's pulling through this intense infection was quite an accomplishment (especially since staff struggled to get medication into her system, as she wasn't eating. Darted antibiotics were used).
However, Izzy stopped eating about two weeks ago and lost even more muscle mass on her small, elderly frame. Keepers and staff scheduled a veterinary visit with new part-time veterinarian Dr. Lassiter. The expectation was that she might need to be humanely euthanized due to suspected kidney failure (from a combination of old age and constant medication with phenobarbital- the anti-seizure medication Izzy has been on her entire life). But, when the veterinarian and staff arrived at her enclosure on the day of the scheduled appointment, Izzy was up on her feet and happily greeting her guests with her usual enthusiasm. The diagnosis ruled out terminal illness at present, and with Izzy's condition stable, she is still on tour and awaits visits.
What this means: Izzy is by no means in great shape. She is an old lady! She wobbles a bit and eats the way anyone's 90 year old grandmother would: like a bird (or, in this case, she only eats one bird). However, with her medication and the watchful eyes of keepers and awesome volunteers, Izzy's health is stable and she is as social as ever. The issue remains, however, that she will get sick again and be unable to recover due to her conditions. We find at Carolina Tiger Rescue that these cats are built to NOT show wear and tear-- that is, we are sometimes unaware that a cat is not feeling well until they show us signs, and they may not do so for quite some time. These amazing predators do not show weakness well, as in the wild showing such weakness would result in possible predation from another stronger rival. Although we offer the best care possible in captivity for our rescued cats, old age and complications such as organ failure, cancer, or lifetime diseases and conditions (such as epilepsy) cannot be prevented. We work to treat these illnesses to the best of our ability, and Izzy remains a great example of how resilient these animals are in addition to what modern medicine provides.
Izzy came down with an intense urinary tract infection just before Christmas. She lost a lot of weight and muscle mass, and we were worried she would not pull through. Being an eighteen year old tigress means you aren't the pouncing hunter you once were, so Izzy's pulling through this intense infection was quite an accomplishment (especially since staff struggled to get medication into her system, as she wasn't eating. Darted antibiotics were used).
However, Izzy stopped eating about two weeks ago and lost even more muscle mass on her small, elderly frame. Keepers and staff scheduled a veterinary visit with new part-time veterinarian Dr. Lassiter. The expectation was that she might need to be humanely euthanized due to suspected kidney failure (from a combination of old age and constant medication with phenobarbital- the anti-seizure medication Izzy has been on her entire life). But, when the veterinarian and staff arrived at her enclosure on the day of the scheduled appointment, Izzy was up on her feet and happily greeting her guests with her usual enthusiasm. The diagnosis ruled out terminal illness at present, and with Izzy's condition stable, she is still on tour and awaits visits.
What this means: Izzy is by no means in great shape. She is an old lady! She wobbles a bit and eats the way anyone's 90 year old grandmother would: like a bird (or, in this case, she only eats one bird). However, with her medication and the watchful eyes of keepers and awesome volunteers, Izzy's health is stable and she is as social as ever. The issue remains, however, that she will get sick again and be unable to recover due to her conditions. We find at Carolina Tiger Rescue that these cats are built to NOT show wear and tear-- that is, we are sometimes unaware that a cat is not feeling well until they show us signs, and they may not do so for quite some time. These amazing predators do not show weakness well, as in the wild showing such weakness would result in possible predation from another stronger rival. Although we offer the best care possible in captivity for our rescued cats, old age and complications such as organ failure, cancer, or lifetime diseases and conditions (such as epilepsy) cannot be prevented. We work to treat these illnesses to the best of our ability, and Izzy remains a great example of how resilient these animals are in addition to what modern medicine provides.
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