Petting zoos filled with chickens and goats are a common sight to see when visiting farms in rural Missouri. But what about the truly exotic animals that aren’t local to Missouri, or the United States in general? I’m talking about wildcats, such as tigers, lions and panthers. Many people don’t know, but there’s a huge tiger sanctuary right here in Missouri and you’ll definitely want to visit it.
The National Tiger Sanctuary is located in in a small village called Saddlebrooke, between Branson and Springfield.
The sanctuary was created in 2000 to create a safe environment for wild cats. Though the sanctuary is Missouri-based, interns travel from all over the world to study the animals at this sanctuary. This non-profit, animal rescue organization hopes to spread awareness and education to the public and serve as a learning environment.
When you visit the sanctuary, you'll be able to go on a guided tour.
There's a number of guided tours to choose from. The Awareness Tour takes visitors through the park and gives them information about the animals and their personalities. The feed tours allow visitors to help with the feeding process. You can also go on a special tour with the sanctuary's director, which includes souvenirs to take home.
The sanctuary prefers quality over quantity and never will they overfill their property for the sake of selling tickets. Each animal has a specific nutrition plan and their meals are made fresh everyday to feature the types of food they prefer.
Tropical lemurs belong in the primate family and can only be found in the island of Madagascar. The sanctuary rescued two, so when you visit, be sure to keep an eye out for Zoe and Lenny.
To help keep this amazing sanctuary running, there's a few ways you can help out.
Visitors can make monetary donations or help out as a volunteer. The sanctuary even lets you "adopt" an animal of your choice by donating $100 a year to support their individualized care.
All in all, if you're looking to have the ultimate "Caturday," the National Tiger Sanctuary is the place to be.
The National Tiger Sanctuary is located at 518 State Highway BB in Saddlebrooke, Missouri. Tours are held Wednesday – Sunday at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., and 4 p.m. For more information, visit them at their website by clicking here.
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