Feeding The Big Cats

A

Ara

Well-Known Member
Does anyone have an opinion about the feeding of the big cats in zoos while the public watches?

At one time this was one of the big attractions. Signs would be up: "Lions & Tigers fed at 3pm", and the public would flock to see.

Nowadays it's regarded almost as politically incorrect, as if it's a circus act or something. I don't understand why.
 
I don't see a problem with it at all. the cats need to be fed and with cats it's the only time the public has the oppurtunity to see these cats active. I prefer the way it is done at Cairns Wildlife Safari, or used to be, where the cat would be locked out a big chunk of meat placed on top of the pole and the cats let back in. uite an amazing thing to see.
 
At safari parks, Paticularly Longleat, they have a much easier way of stimulating the big cats. They can drive a feed wagon, with a slot in the floor around the enclosure, and then drop meat out of the bottom every now and then. This makes the lions or tigers (Could even be wolves), chase this feed wagon, Stimulating natural behaviour.
 
Feeding time

If it is done properly , there are benefits to all parties except those who insist on being PC for PC sake .
Animals need to be fed sometime . Do people really expect a zoo that has several hundred animals to feed them all outside of opening hours ?

If there is a talk about conservation of the animals while they are being fed , the people watching the feeding will be hearing the talk , even if they are not concentrating on what is being said per se . A good talk (done well ) can be quite entertaining and informative .

Feeding time is a time that keepers can usually get a good look at the animals who might otherwise tend to hide . Food will usually entice an animal to get as close as possible to the keeper .

Wellington Zoo gives the tigers "morning tea" and the public are welcome to join in . What the public dont get is any refreshments , but they are told about the plight of tigers worldwide , and what the zoo is trying to do in order to prevent Sumatrans from becoming extinct .
The tigers get a "milkshake" with added vitamins , by way of an oversized syringe . The tigers come right up to the fence and open their mouths wide within inches of the keeper .

The tigers get a healthy snack
The keepers get a close inspection of the tigers
The visitors get some classic photo opportunities
The zoo gets a few extra $$s in the Save The Tiger donation box adjacent to the enclosure

So where the problem ?
 
they are good fundraisers, dubbo does the tiger/lion for 50 bux each, which enttles you to a small peice of chicken wing with a apir of bbq tongs. whilst many of us think 50 bux is a strecth, again how many here havnt feed a big cat at sometime or another, but the 'gen public'get a thrill, and at 50 a pop, hay it's all good, a fifty could almost feed the tigers for a week!
 
Chester (UK) advertises feeding times. The cats are moved from the outdoor enclosures and the keeper enters with meat. The meat is smeared over rocks, logs etc to leave a scent trail and then hidden in the enclosure. All the while, the public are being given a talk about what is happening, about the zoo's cats and how they are contributing to global conservation efforts. The cats are then let out and have to find their food. It's a great opportunity to watch them being active (so often, big cats just sleep all day) and appreciate the beauty and power of the animal. Apparently the meat was so well hidden on one occasion that the tiger couldn't find it!

As previously posters have said, providing it is handled properly I don't see anything un-PC about it.
 
The big cats at Howletts and Port Lypmne are fed about once a week to try and tie-in with cats feeding in the wild and then given quite large hunks of meat,
 
depedning on sub-species, would some eat more than others, and when moved to colder areas like port lpymne and howletts, should or do they get more?
 
Big cats can take a few days to digest a big meal and may go a week or longer with out feeding depending on what food is available, the smaller species seem to require more meals more often
 
Singapore feeds the big cats every other day. An adult male tiger for example would get about 5kg of meat at each feeding.

But there's a daily "token" feeding, just to get the cats to be more active. Small amounts of meat (not more than a kilo) are given.
 
Zoo_Boy said:
depedning on sub-species, would some eat more than others, and when moved to colder areas like port lpymne and howletts, should or do they get more?
Click to expand...

I don't know what amounts are fed to the cats in UK zoos, but I would imagine the greater energy expended by living in a colder climate(for tropical Tigers and Lions) would be offset by the generally much lazier lifestyle induced/enforced by captive conditions.

You could also argue that Siberian tigers would need less food in captivity as (apart from in Russian and Far North American zoos), they are likely to be living in milder conditions than in the wild. I believe some zoos have in the past had problems with appetite in Siberian tigers, maybe that is why. Their digestive system is also better suited to Pork than beef- a throwback to their wild diet which features Wild Boar?
 
Like said here before; the cats must be fed. A "feeding show" with a good talk can be an enrichment for the visitors. I saw the lions to be fed in Amsterdam. This was not a show, nor did anyone do a talk. The lions could pick up some meat in their night enclosures, and came outside to eat. That's all. But it was very crowdy, the public likes to see the lions eat.

The feeding show with the elephants at Amersfoort is much better. A keeper tells interesting facts about their animals and the elephants in general. For the elephants the feeding is just a little snack. But for the public it is very interesting.
 
Lion feeding at Auckland Zoo

As you probably know , lions are not the most active of cats .
The lion feeding times at Auckland zoo tries to encourage a bit more activity in the lions . The pieces of meat are not big , but they are smeared across the rocks in the enclosure , and are stuffed into crevices etc ( while the lions are locked up for a short time )
This is not the usual feeding time , but more of a PR exercise , and an opportunity for zoo staff to check the health of the animals .
It is very popular with the public , and I am sure the lions dont object to this one bit !!
 
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