Global animal welfare organisation Four Paws has transferred two tiger cubs rescued from illegal private keeping in Slovakia to its Lionsrock Big Cat Sanctuary near Bethlehem in the Free State.
The year-old female animals, one of them white, are named Snow and Sky.
The tigresses arrived at their new forever home on August 14 under the South African sun after a 13 000 km journey from Slovakia.
In mid-April, the two cubs, together with their male sibling, were confiscated by local authorities from cruel, illegal private keeping in Slovakia and temporarily accommodated at Zoo Bojnice, until they could be transferred to South Africa.
Sadly, the third cub was found dead in the enclosure at the zoo earlier in June, after suffering fatal injuries. The conditions that the cubs experienced in the previous private keeping may have led to the tragic incident.
Fiona Miles, director of Four Paws in South Africa, told Rekord the biggest challenge in relocating the cubs was to convince the private owner to voluntarily give up the cubs to the authorities.
“The cubs were illegally bred, so the authorities had every right to seize the animals, but by voluntarily giving the cubs up, the private owner avoided a lot of court and administrative proceedings that would have made the situation more stressful, especially for the animals,” Miles explained.
“We also faced challenges with ensuring that the right paperwork was organised before the transfer. In this case, we thankfully had the assistance of Zoo Bojnice, who was able to temporarily care for the cubs while we organised the necessary documents.”
Miles added that on top of this, transport is always challenging for the animals.
She explained that to alleviate transport-related stress, the team supported the animals with measures ranging from the use of pheromones that may have a soothing effect, to anxiety-relieving medication, tailored to the specific needs and the health condition of the individual animal.
“Further, we make sure that a wildlife veterinarian accompanies the animals for as long as possible during the transfer to monitor their health. Sky and Snow were both fairly relaxed and doing fine during their long journey from Slovakia to South Africa,” said Miles.
She pointed out that at the moment, it is difficult to know the personalities of the tigers since they are still settling in.
“They are both young and although they are at the moment still very insecure, we hope they will become more comfortable soon. Sky seems to be calmer and less nervous than Snow so far, but we have seen both improving.
“It is our first important goal to earn their trust and make them feel comfortable in their new environment and to hopefully socialise them as soon as possible. This will make the settling in easier for both of them,” she explained.
So far, the tigers are both healthy.
“Snow is a white tiger. White tigers in captivity are often the product of inbreeding, which can lead to negative effects on the health of the animal. Our team will continue to monitor the health of these animals to make sure they are able to treat any signs of ill health as soon as possible,” said Miles.
“Tigers usually reach their adult size between two to three years in the wild. With their age of 13 months, Snow and Sky have reached the size appropriate for their age but should definitely still grow quite a bit,” she said.
According to Miles, tigers are adapted to a wide temperature range, and the team expect that both Snow and Sky will have no issues with adapting well to the climate in the Free State.
“The big cat enclosures at the sanctuary provide several structural elements to support coping well with both lower and higher ambient temperatures. These include pools to cool down during hotter temperatures, trees as well as platforms under which the animals can rest and that provide shade, cosy houses with warm bedding material in which the animals can withdraw during the colder winter temperatures.”
Snow and Sky were illegally bred in Slovakia. They were born to two tigers that are being legally kept by a private keeper.
As of 2022, it is illegal for private keepers in Slovakia to obtain new tigers, whether it is through breeding, trade, or import. Animals obtained before 2022 are allowed to remain with the owners under a grandfather clause. However, since Snow and Sky were born in 2023, their birth was illegal.
Apart from rescuing the tigers, the animal welfare organisation also organised a veterinary mission to the private owner’s facility, where they neutered the male tiger. As well as two male leopards on the property, with the hope that these interventions will stop the possibility of future illegal breeding in the facility.
Sky and Snow are housed in one of the tiger units at Lionsrock which consists of six enclosures where other tigers live close by. At the moment they do not have a direct neighbour though.
There are 19 tigers at the sanctuary including Snow and Sky.
At present, there are no health concerns. Before their transport, both tigers were checked at Zoo Bojnice by wildlife veterinarian Dr Johanna Painer from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna.
“We are still waiting for the report of the laboratory on some blood parameters. However, all results that we have received so far are indicative of two healthy tigers. The cubs’ health will be monitored by onsite veterinarian Dr Christine Steyrer at the sanctuary,” explained Miles.
For her, the highlight of the rescue was seeing Snow and Sky come out of their crates and walk on soil and grass for the first time into their beautiful new enclosures.
She pointed out that white-coloured tigers would be more sensitive to light, as they lack pigment and have a higher risk of developing skin cancer in their lifetime.
“However, our enclosures are designed to help protect the tigers from the South African sun, providing them with all the options. They have many trees providing shade and the option to spend time in their house, should they wish to.”
At the moment Snow and Sky are being kept in separate enclosures for their own safety. By keeping them separate the team can assess how they are settling in.
“However, both of them have the ability to see, smell, and touch each other through a barrier fence. Our team will continue to monitor their behaviour and start with a socialisation process, with the intention that Snow and Sky will be able to share an enclosure in the near future.”
Miles said tigers in South Africa may appear unusual, but when you learn the circumstances behind their arrival, it all makes sense.
“Globally there are very few true safe havens for animals such as these, and they represent so many other animals from similar circumstances. Snow and Sky were born in a concrete enclosure in Slovakia, a place where tigers clearly do not belong. These animals were captive-born, have been traumatised by their past, are very sensitive to stress and can never go back to the wild,” she explained.
“Instead, they need lifelong care. At our sanctuary, we provide them with a home that gives them peace, safety and comfort in an environment that helps them feel more at ease and where they can demonstrate natural behaviours.
As an organisation, we are committed to giving these big cats the highest quality care and the dignified lives they deserve to live. In the end, it’s about their right to life and having a suitable home,” she concluded.
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