Week 209 (24th - 30th August 2007)

Teaching 327 that he is a tiger and not a prisoner

After 327 was moved out of his cage and left primarily in the quarantine camp, he seemed to be continually upset. Often he would hide under the pole shelter or just kept pacing around his cage, trying to enter. Though the other tigers often came and paced near the quarantine camp, 327 pretended not to see any of them. After a while the other tigers lost interest and started ignoring him.

On Tuesday morning, after 327 was closed in his outdoor cage, Cathay was introduced into the quarantine camp. She ran around 327’s cage, when she found 327 could not come out; she dragged his leftovers to the water trough and began to eat immediately.

Then the sliding gate of his cage was opened and 327 went out immediately. However when the two tigers met each other their reaction was quite calm. Both of them slapped each other softly and chuffed at each other, but there was not any further interaction. Then Cathay went back to the trough and continued eating. When 327 went close she threatened him unreservedly. Compared to the last time when they had met each other, this time the situation seemed thoroughly reversed. Maybe it was because Cathay was not in season now.

327 didn’t even try to take his food back. He sat 1 meter from Cathay, watching her eating. 327 made a strange sound like a hyena for some time as if asking Cathay to give the food back to him. They kept the same posture for almost an hour until Cathay finished eating.

Then they played for a while but soon 327 lost interests and tried to leave. When Cathay put her paw on his back leg 327 became angry and roared at her. Then Cathay just gave up and 327 went back to his cage and didn’t come out again. After 2.5 hours Cathay was introduced back to the 4 ha camp while 327 was still sitting in his outdoor cage. He only came out later that afternoon and the sliding gate was closed behind him immediately.

On Wednesday afternoon, again Cathay was introduced into 327’s territory but this time the front compartment of the breeding centre was also opened. Both tigers entered the front compartment and they were closed in together. 327 seemed pleased to have Cathay’s company and both tigers played with one another. At one stage, 327 even lay down and rolled on the ground making strange moaning sounds and he also tried to make Cathay fall over by attempting to knock her back legs out from under her. A lot of chuffing and general friendly behavior occurred during this encounter.

Although we feel sorry for 327, this intimate relationship he has with his building needs to be changed. Only then will he realize he is actually a tiger just like Cathay, TigerWoods and Madonna and not a doomed prisoner. Any tiger should jump at the chance to be free and outdoors, rather than confined amidst steel and concrete.