Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wildlife. Show all posts

May 6, 2016

Set them Free!

They lowered the cage by the lift, and as the tourist group took snapshots, positioned it at the entrance to the enclosure.
Cleo grumbled in her throat, displeased, Lil concluded, with the crowd, the scent of them, the scent of other animals. Across the compound the lion roared.
Lil lifted the cage door, locked it open, stepped back.
The cat sniffed the air as she scanned the space, the tree, the boulders, the fencing. And the other animals beyond.
Her tail switched as the lioness prowled along their shared fence line and marked her territory.


Black Hills 


____________


These 33 Lions Were Caged And Abused Their Whole Lives. When They're Finally Set Free? Wow ...







These lions had all been trapped in tiny cages, forced to perform, and badly mistreated. Many of them required medical attention, and most of them were underfed. Several of the lions had never even experienced grass under their feet or felt the warmth of the sun on their faces. These may seem like trivial pleasures, but as you'll see, there's just nothing quite like that first taste of freedom.




____________


Crouched, the jaguar stepped out, nosing both ground and air. When she’d cleared it, Lil lowered the door on the enclosure, locked it. The crowd applauded.
“She’ll be protected here,” Lil added. “Cared for by the staff, interns, and volunteers of Chance Wildlife Refuge, and through,” lest they forget, Lil thought, “the donations of our patrons and visitors. She’ll have a good life here, and may have it for over twenty years.”
She watched the black cat belly through the grass, nosing it, nosing the air, then rising to stalk. Squatting to pee, marking her territory as the lion marked hers.
She paced and circled, and even when she stopped to drink from her trough, Lil saw her muscles quivering.
She continued to pace, to prowl, sending out that hoarse roar. When she rose on her hind legs to sharpen her front claws on her tree, Lil felt her own muscles quiver at the beauty of the cat’s lines, the power of her build.
She watched, even when the others drifted away, she watched for nearly an hour. And smiled when Cleo leaped into the tree to spread her muscular body over a thick branch.
“Welcome home, Cleo,” she said aloud.


Black Hills

Apr 26, 2016

Surviving a Mountain Lion Encounter

He broke off as a movement behind her caught his eye. He shifted his gaze, focused and felt the blood drain out of his head. “Jesus Christ. Don’t move.”
She smelled it now—the wild and dangerous scent. Her heart slammed once against her ribs, and before she could get to her feet, Noah was springing up to put himself between her and the cougar.
It was a full-grown male, perched on the rocks just above with his eyes glinting in the sunlight. Now he shifted, let out a low, guttural growl and flashed teeth.
“Keep your eyes on his,” Olivia instructed as she rose. “Don’t run.”
Noah already had his hand on the hilt of his knife. He had no intention of running. “Go.” He bared his own teeth and shifted when Olivia tried to step out from behind him. “Start moving back down the trail.”
“That’s exactly right.” She kept her voice calm. “No sudden moves, no fleeing motions. We just ease back, give him room. He’s got the advantage. Higher ground. And he’s showing aggressive behavior. Don’t take your eyes off him, don’t turn your back.”
“I said, ‘Go.’ “ It took every ounce of willpower not to turn around and shove her down the trail. One thin stream of sweat trickled down his back.
“He must have a kill near here. He’s just trying to protect it.” She bent, keeping her eyes on the cat’s, and scooped up two rocks. “Back away, we just back away.”
The cat hissed again, and his ears went back flat. “Yell!” Olivia ordered, continuing the backward motion even as she winged the first rock. It struck the cougar sharply on the side.
She continued to shout, heaved the second rock. The cat spat furiously, swiped at the air. And as Noah drew the knife from his belt, the cat slunk away.


River's End

__________________


By Olivia Danielle Ruiz - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35452417


Stumbling upon a mountain lion is pretty rare, but if you happen to do a lot of stuff outdoors, it’s good to be prepared just in case. Here’s what you should do if you encounter a mountain lion in the wild.
This infographic from The Art Manliness explains what you should do if you come across a mountain lion, cougar, Florida panther, or puma while you’re out hiking. It might seem counter-intuitive, but resist the urge to run.