Tiger Found in Abandoned Houston Home Celebrates 7th Birthday at Wildlife Sanctuary

Loki, a tiger found in an abandoned Houston house five years ago, celebrated his seventh birthday earlier this month on June 6.

While the tiger spent the first years of its life in a small cage, it was moved to Black Beauty Ranch, a large animal sanctuary located in Murchison, Texas, shortly after being found by a concerned citizen in February 2019.

After he was rescued, sanctuary staff nicknamed him “Loki,” after the Norse god of mischief, because he was “sneaky and playful.” Loki particularly likes pumpkins, which he occasionally gives to her for enrichment purposes. The staff also gave him a watermelon for his birthday, which he briefly stirred before walking away to take a nap.

Caretakers said his transition to his new home was a challenge at first; going from a confined garage to a large space was quite surprising for the tiger.

“When Loki first stepped on the grass at Black Beauty, his reaction indicated to his keepers that he had likely never felt this sensation under his paws,” Black Beauty Ranch representatives said.

Ranch staff also said that Loki initially didn’t know he could stand on his hind legs because the cage he was kept in was so small.

He was also quite hesitant to explore at first, and sanctuary staff had to use positive reinforcement training to “help him learn to be a wild tiger” and “foster his ability to express his natural instincts and behaviors.” “.

Over time, Loki began to behave more like a wild tiger and he gradually became more comfortable exploring his habitat.

Now, a little more than five years after his arrival at the sanctuary, staff say he has adapted well to the new environment.

“After receiving proper care from our team, Loki… grew into a confident tiger,” said Sue Tygielski, senior manager of Black Beauty Ranch. “He spends his days splashing in his pool, sunbathing on his platform and lying in the shade of the trees enjoying the breeze.”

Unlike his previous living quarters, Loki’s new home offers more than enough space for a big cat to grow and thrive.

Black Beauty Ranch spans over 1,400 acres and is proudly home to over 600 animals that have been rescued from abusive situations, such as research labs and circuses. Loki’s new neighbors include bears, kangaroos and even three other tigers.

Tigers are solitary creatures, so Loki has his own habitat rather than living with the other tigers, but their enclosure is separated by a fence, and Loki can often be seen “playing” with neighboring tigers by running back and forth. back along the fence.

All the other tigers in the enclosure are also survivors, like Elsa, who was originally housed in a traveling circus.

Christi Gilbreth, senior outreach and development coordinator at the ranch, said the sanctuary plays an important role in providing a home for animals too traumatized to be released into the wild.

“We would like these animals to be in the wild,” Gilbreth said. “But unfortunately, due to their cruel beginnings, this is not possible.”

Gilbreth pointed out that for many animals, the transition from their former home to the sanctuary can be difficult, but their lives are much richer as a result.

Unfortunately, she said some sanctuaries and zoos tend to prioritize profit over the safety and welfare of the animals.

“It’s difficult to know which zoos are treating their animals fairly, but you can help in an important way by making sure any facility you visit is certified by the appropriate authorities,” Gilbreth said. “If it’s a zoo, they need to have accreditation from the ACA, and if it’s a sanctuary like ours, they need to be accredited by the World Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.”

She also said it’s important that these animals be able to live out the rest of their lives with privacy rights, but that the ranch offers occasional tours, one of which will be July 13.

So if you’d like to wish Loki a happy birthday or simply support a good cause, consider visiting the ranch’s website to offer your support.

And as for Loki, although his start was rocky, the staff says his future looks brighter than ever.

“Like all residents of our sanctuary, Loki will never again have to suffer cruelty”

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