Tiger loose @ Fort Polk

[MOWGLI]

Hey Sarge, I hear there is a real live Tiger on the loose at Fort Polk. And all the while I thought there were no exciting hiking opportunities in Louisiana!

Could you give us any news on the search for the Tiger? Have you been part of the search team? Talk about an adrenaline rush!!

[Lone Wolf]

Good moving target practice.

[SGT Rock]

They are promissing to arrest and charge anyone caught hunting the tiger. So I figure if I just clean my rifle on the front lawn with a sheep staked down 100 meters away, that would only be "self defense"

[art to linda]

If you have never had the chance to get up close and work with a big cat it's hard to comprehend the magnificenct wonder of them. They are not ment to be pets and people just don't understand this. Then we end up with them either being dumped in the wild or escaping which usually doesn't come to a happy ending. I hope this isn't one of those times.

[TedB]

A guy named Jim Corbett wrote an excellent book on hunting man eating tigers call Man-Eaters of Kumaon. The events took place in the early 1900's in India. He had great respect for the tigers and worked towards their preservation. He describes how the tigers he hunts became man eaters due to some circumstance where they were unable to obtain their natural food, and turned to people as prey, eventually loosing their natural fear of humans. Today Jim Corbett National Park in India is the home of tiger and leopards and other wildlife.

[Nightwalker]

A guy named Jim Corbett wrote an excellent book on hunting man eating tigers call Man-Eaters of Kumaon. The events took place in the early 1900's in India. He had great respect for the tigers and worked towards their preservation. He describes how the tigers he hunts became man eaters due to some circumstance where they were unable to obtain their natural food, and turned to people as prey, eventually loosing their natural fear of humans. Today Jim Corbett National Park in India is the home of tiger and leopards and other wildlife.
The only reason that Lions are called King of the Beasts is that they never had to deal with Tigers! (An adult male Lion is only 3/4 the size of an adult male Tiger! 600 pounds versus 800 pounds.)

I think Tigers are the most beautiful of animals, and I hope that this one will be able to be captured instead of killed. However, people's safety has to come first, unless you're a hand-wringing "a dog is a rat is a boy" type.

:D

[art to linda]

I agree, peoples safety has to come first. If this cat is as young as they think it is it will be making lots of mistakes in the wild and not knowing what kind of care/training it has had doesn't help things. Tigers have long been my first love of the big cats but I have never had the chance to get up close and personal with one. I did have that opportunity once with a Lion and another time with a Cougar (under the watchfull eye of their trainers), my respect for these animals increased greatly, along with my respect for their trainers! It was something I'll never forget.

[ga>me>ak]

Yes, these big cats are beautiful. There is a place here in Tampa(private refuge) that I used to volunteer at. I have been in the cage with a tiger and have him brush up against me. Kinda scary, but, also really cool. Been in the cages with lions, tigers,bobcats, panthers, oscelots. Really an experience. If anyone comes to Tampa, let me know. It's kinda pricey for a tour, but you will be closer, and get some hands on time with some of these critters. Not for small kids, they look like walking snacks and really excit the cats.