Professor Gombe Answers Your Big Cat Questions

Noah asks "What is your favorite big cat?"

Gombe answers... My favorite big cat is a tiger of course!

Cory asks "Do you ever under any circumstances allow petting or touching of any animals at the refuge?"

Gombe answers... The general public does not have any contact with any of our cats. The staff does not touch any of the cats, either. It's too dangerous to tempt that kind of fate. The only exception for the staff would be babies under a certain age.

Sue asks "Do you feel that your numbers will increase to save the species?"

Gombe answers... There are many people around the world working to try to save the species, including people like you, Sue. Thank you for writing.

Alyssa writes "About China, your tiger? She/He is my favorite. But I also LOVE Lilly and Sarge! They are cute. Gombe is cute too. Can you tell me how to download a picture of China? Can I find picture of her on www.google.com? Well about China, it would be nice to know her/his gender. Thanks a lot!"

Gombe answers... China is a female tiger. You can find a picture of her on our web site. If you right click on the picture you will have the option to save the picture to your computer.

Lily asks "Are big cats going to be within the next 20 years?"

Gombe answers... If things keep progressing as they are now, in twenty years the only tigers left (if any) will be in captivity. That's why it is so important to promote conservation of the species!

Shelby asks "Do your teeth ever fall out?"

Gombe answers... Our baby teeth fall out when we turn one year of age. Sometimes as we get older dental problems develop and we can lose a tooth, or a tooth breaks. Thank you for the question.

Chantal asks "Why are the Siberan Tiger going exstinct? And since they are starting to go exstinct how many years do you think they'll live? About the babies will they only be the only tigers?"

Gombe answers... All tigers are going extinct due to people poaching and moving in on their territory. Some experts say that within five years the only tigers left will be the ones in captivity. Keep up the interest.

Melinda asks "How many different types of species of tigers are there in the world?"

Gombe answers... There are currently 5 different sub-species of tigers left in the world. The folks around here are working to keep it that way!

Kyla asks "How do you make money to keep the sanctuary going?"

Gombe answers... The generosity of caring people keep this sanctuary running with their donations. Good question!

Elayna comments "I just saw "Growing Up Tiger" on Animal Planet. I found it very touching. I just fell in love with "Sarge" and "Lily". To me it would be a dream job to do what these wonderful people do. I was wondering how "Sarge" and "Lily" are doing today? Any future plans? How do they spend their days?"

Gombe replies... Lily and Sarge are doing well. They play in the morning and sleep a lot during the day. Sarge is a little lazier than Lily. You should come visit them and us sometime!

Chiaki writes "I have a school project to interview two places to find out what I want to be when I grow up. Please answer these Questions..."

Gombe puts his answers after Chiaki's questions...
1. How do you get to be a person who raises wild animals? If you want to take care of wild animals you must first go to school for whatever field you want to be involved. After school you will need to complete an internship for some work experience. Then you will be qualified to work at a rescue center.

2. Where do you get most of your tigers? All of the cats here were abused, neglected or displaced. They come from all across the United States.

3. How much does it cost to feed one of your tigers every week? Each Tiger eats between 10 to 15 pounds of raw meat per day. We get the meat for around .50 per pound.

4. Has anyone ever gotton injured while working with your tigers? The Tiger Creek staff follows strict guidelines when around the cats to prevent injuries. None of our staff has ever been injured by any of our cats.

5. What kind of education do you need to have actual contact with the tigers? I know only one person actually allowed to but in another situation? There are different fields that would allow you contact with these types of animals. You can be a vet, biologist, trainer, etc. Talk to your counselor about your options.

6. Do you need any special paper work or government permission to keep tigers? We are licensed and inspected by the USDA to make sure we are in compliance.

7. How often do you have to clean the cages? The cages get cleaned every day.

8. What do you do with all of the Poo? The poo is discarded. Sometimes we collect samples to run tests.

9. How do you get enough money to care for all of your animals? We are a non-profit so all of our money comes from donations and grants.

10. Do you have to hire a special vet when they get sick? Or do you use a normal vet? We use a vet that works with exotic animals.

Thank you for all the great questions!

Cynthia writes "Why do they let so many people privately own tigers? Every state should have a law saying that it is banned. It's sad to see even one story of a dead tiger because someone got tired of feeding it or it became to much to handle. It's a tiger! It's their nature to stalk and hunt. I own a cat and I won't even declaw it. If God wanted cats to not have claws then they wouldn't."

Gombe replies... It's not that the authorities let people privately own tigers, many people get them even though it is illegal in most areas. Unfortunately some people do not think about the consequences before their actions. Thank you for your comments, Cynthia.

Yvonne writes "How do I as a thirteen year old girl who is writing a letter to the president and the next one in line for them to do more than they are on saving wild cats for myself to try and be a voleenter somewhere with these beautifully created creatures? I want to work with these Big Cats (volunteering) and where? Basically I want to help clean their cages, feed them, bathe them and love them till I have no more love. Where can I do this or go to help those tigers who need help?"

Gombe responds... It's great to hear that you want to help big cats! To work at a refuge, zoo or any other facility as a keeper you must first go to school. Sometime during or just after college you will then need to do an internship because most facilities will not hire you without prior experience. You should talk to your school counselor about your opportunities and what field would allow you to achieve your dream!

Hailey asks "Why do all big cats have stripes on their body."

Gombe answers... Tigers are the only big cats that have stripes on their bodies. Lions, Leopards, and Jaguars are also big cats and they all have different markings as well.

Jillian asks "How many different pack of tigers is there?"

Gombe answers... There are 5 different sub-species of tigers left. Good Question!

Zoe writes "I LOVE watching Tiger Creek Refuge on Animal Planet. I watch it every time it's on and I hope to meet these big cats in person one day. There is one pretty tiger in particular named Tiara that Terri talks to and smiles at in the show. I looked for her in the meet the big cats section but she is not there. What happened to Tiara?"

Gombe replies... I'm sad to let you know that Kiarra passed away in 2005.

Jack asks "Which is your most cantankerous cat and which is the friendliest cat?"

Gombe comments... All of the cats here are well tempered. April is the sweetest. Good Question!

Mauro writes "I am from Argetina. I like tigers and need information about the tiger. Where can I learn about tigers and conservation?"

Gombe replies... The Tiger Creek website has a link at the bottom of the page to our foundation, Tiger Missing Link Foundation. The mission of our foundation is education and conservation.

Bradley asks "How long can a tiger live?"

Gombe answers... Good question, Bradley. We can live 8-10 years in the wild. In captivity we have been known to live 16-20 years if we are healthy. Thank you for asking.

Trevor asks "How big can tigers get and how much can they weigh?"

Gombe answers... The size of a tiger depends on what sub-species they belong to. On average they weigh between 400-600 pounds. The largest sub-species are the Siberian tigers. They can weigh over 700 pounds. That's a big cat!

Tina writes "What do tigers eat? What do they like to do for fun? How big do they get from a baby to an adult? How close to them can you get? Are they tame or still wild? What color are the tigers they have at the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge?"

Gombe answers... Tina, you are inquisitive! Good! Let's see if I can answer all your questions. Tigers are carnivores (meat eaters). The menu here consists of beef and chicken. Sometimes we also get wild game when it is donated. For fun the cats play in the water and chew on toys. Tigers grow from a couple of pounds to on average 400-600 pounds. The staff at Tiger Creek always stays behind a barrier when working with the cats. Even cats that are raised by hand from a cub have a wild nature. They are natural predators and can always resort to that instinct. You will find three different color variations of Tigers here: orange with black, white with black (that's me), and orange with white. Thanks for all the good questions.

Joan asks "Do Sarge and Lily still go swimming in the lake?"

Gombe replies... Tigers love water! Sarge and his sister Lily are no exception. They play in the water when they get moved into the excercise yard.

Lauren asks "Do you have any cheetahs to adopt?"

Gombe answers... We do not have any cheetahs here at Tiger Creek! Can you believe it? Maybe one day in the future we will have one join our family. There are many other cats available for adoption including tigers, lions, leopards, bobcats and cougars!

Megan writes "At my shool I have to write a persuasive letter and I choose for tiger hunters to stop hunting tigers. I was wondering if you could email me pictures and advice."

Gombe writes... I like how you think, Megan! Tigers are endangered. There isn't much else I can add to your persuasive letter because I know you'll do a great job!

Matthew writes "Hi, when I grow up I too will have a tiger refuge. I already have a whole filing cabinet full of info and I'm only 12 lol! Anyway, I want to ask how much meat should you give them as cubs through out adulthood?"

Gombe answers... Good luck on having your refuge someday. We need budding animal conservationist such as yourself. Cubs should stay with their mothers. An adult tiger eats between ten and fifteen pounds of raw meat a day. Big cats eat a lot!

Carrie writes "Do you have a lot of visitors during spring break? What is there to do at your refuge?"

Gombe answers... We have visitors throughout the year but Spring and Summer are our busiest months. At Tiger Creek you can take a guided walking tour to see all of the cats. One of our tiger experts will answer your questions and educate you on big cat conservation and the cats that live here. We also have picnic tables if you want to pack a lunch (or have a pizza - they're a block away). After you have seen everything you can stop by the gift shop for souvenirs. All in all, we think we're better entertainment than a Hollywood movie. Us cats think like that.

The Tool Elementary 4th grade class writes "We are interested in coming to your refuge for a field trip. What can we expect to see and do?"

Gombe replies... Hello Tool Tigers! When you visit Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge you receive a guided walking tour around the property. During your tour you will see 40 different cats and learn about their personalities, species, and why we rescued them. Currently we have tigers, lions, leopards, bobcats, and cougars. After your tour one of our specialists will sit down and show you teeth, fur and bones of big cats. You will be able to ask questions and learn more about what makes up a cat. You will leave with added knowledge about big cat conservation and a better respect for majestic, beautiful Great Cats.

Carl writes "I know it's a very touchy subject that doesn't look good on tigers, but I have two questions and if you could go into details it would be appreciated. What do you think may have been the cause of the San Francisco zoo maulings. And is there a difference in temperaments between the different tiger species? Is the siberian tiger more aggressive? Also, why do you think the tiger killed the one person but not the other two people. I have searched the internet since this occured, but everybody says something different. I beleive since you raise them and are in contact with tigers of all ages and temperaments you might know. Please feel free to elaborate about the subject."

Gombe replies... I'm sorry, Carl, I can not speak on what happened in San Fransisco because I was not there and do not know the circumstances surrounding the event. If a cat ever feels threatened or endangered they are going to act on instinct and either get away or get rid of what ever is upsetting them. I think humans call it the fight or flight instinct. As far as temperaments are concerned, one species of Tiger is not more aggressive than another. However, like people, cats can have different personalities and temperaments.

Amanda asks "Can I own a Tiger if I do not have a sanctuary and I am a kid?"

Gombe replies... In most areas it is illegal for adults and kids to own any kind of exotic cat. You can, however, drop by Tiger Creek for a visit.

Emilea writes "What courses in college would I have to take to do what Teri and Brian Werner do?"

Gombe replies... That is a good question for your college counselor. They can tell you exactly what classes you would need to pursue your aspirations.

Jae writes "I am currently attending Stephen F. Austin State University and am building a presentation on Cougars and the Urban environment. Currently I have found very little available data on this topic and most of what I have found is that Cougars encountered in the Urban Wildland Interface have mostly been due to urban "raised" cougars getting out. Any help or data you can give me would be appreciated."

Gombe replies... My firsthand knowledge is of my Cougar pals here at Tiger Creek. I asked their opinion and they both admitted they had been urban raised. They also agreed they hadn't been out for dinner and a movie in years, but they weren't sure that was the kind of getting out you meant.

Joseph writes "Good Day Professor! I want to ask you a question. There always was a debate about two big cats, one a lion and the other a tiger. Which is the best? I want to hear the opinion of a specialist. Thanks a lot!"

Gombe responds... They are both magnificent cats. I would have to side with the tiger because I am one!

Amanda comments "I have always wanted to work with big cats. Taking care of them, fostering them ect. I have also wanted to study them. Do you know how I can start doing that. Do I need to become a Zoologist, or study animal behavior. I have always felt drawn to them and I want to help save them. I don't just want to donate money, I want to do something active. Any suggestions?"

Gombe replies... The studies required to work with big cats will depend on what specifically you want to do. Do you want to be a keeper, trainer, vet, etc? My suggestion would be to discuss your options with a school or career counselor. They will get you on the track you need to be on for your future. Maybe I'll see you in the intern program here at Tiger Creek one day soon.

Sharon writes "what's the weight of the largest tiger or lion you have?"

Gombe responds... Our largest cat is a Siberian tiger named Amir. He weighs over 650 pounds. He's a big boy!

Faith asks "How would i go about opening my own Wildlife Refuge, and are there certain qualifications you must have?"

Gombe writes... There are many things you have to do before you can open a refuge. You first need to check your local government to see what the restrictions are. Then you also need to check into licensing requirements. You also need to think about how you will fund the refuge. It is a lot of work and requires lots of time. But I'm worth it, don't you think?