That the biggest threat to wild tigers is poaching for the Asian medicine market?

That in the year 1900 the estimated world wild tiger population was 100,000 animals?

That the most recent wild tiger population estimate is 3,200? Their numbers have decreased by 95% in the last 110 years.

That tiger habitat losses are estimated to be 93% in that same amount of time?

That the wild Siberian or Amur tiger population is estimated to be less than 350 animals? Wild Siberian tigers are more endangered than wild giant pandas.

That the biggest long term threat to wild tigers is habitat loss and depletion of their natural prey?

That in December of 2009 a Chinese man was sentenced to 12 years in jail for killing and eating possibly the last wild Indo-Chinese tiger in existence? He did so in a nature preserve in Yunnan province.

Currently at Bear Creek we have 14 Siberian tigers. They are pet confiscations, zoo surplus and retired film animals. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary tigers. Tigers are large aggressive animals that are genetically "wired" to kill things. They don't make good pets.

That a male lion's mane is for protection as well as show? Male lions fight for territory and breeding priveleges. Their manes protect their necks during fights. Currently at Bear Creek we have 7 African lions. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary lions.

That we have a male lion at Bear Creek who doesn't have a mane? He was neutered as a cub and so lacks the male hormone that would grow his mane. Meet Woody, our giant lion.

That male lions will form coalitions to take over existing prides? Their chances are better that way.

That lion prides are made up of related females, who coordinate to hunt. Male lions don't hunt unless they have to.

That lions and tigers don't purr? Cougars are the largest cats that can purr. Tigers make a noise called "chuffing" that can be mistaken for purring. Chuffing is how tigers say "hello".

That a cougar can jump 18 feet straight up from a standstill? Currently at Bear Creek we have 5 cougars. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary cougars.

Why cougars can purr? Their hyoid (throat) bone has cartilage in it, which makes it flexible enough to purr. (Like a house cat.) Large cats have a solid hyoid bone, which enables them to roar, but isn't flexible enough for them to purr. While cougars are very large, they are scientifically classified as small cats.

That servals, small African wild cats, love to eat frogs? We have 2 servals at Bear Creek. Meet Kenya and Faraa, the Bear Creek Sanctuary servals.

That servals have long necks and long legs to see over the grasslands where they live in Africa? They have giant ears that swivel like radar towers to locat their prey.

That you can hear a wolf howl from 6 miles away? Wolf howls don't echo. We currently have 11 timber wolves, wolf dogs and an arctic wolf at Bear Creek. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary wolves.

That timber or gray wolves are the largest wild canids (dogs) and are the ancestors to domestic dogs? A timber wolf can weigh up to 130 pounds.

That if you adopt an animal and come visit Bear Creek we can make the wolves howl? They don't like it so much when we sing. Adopt a Bear Creek Sanctuary animal.

That it is illegal to own a wolf or a wolf-dog mix in Ontario without a permit? These animals are smart, strong, and difficult (or impossible) to train. Wolves don't make good pets!

That red foxes aren't always red? They can be white, silver gray (black) or any combination of those colours. We have 6 foxes at Bear Creek, and they're all kinds of colours. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary foxes.

That grapes and raisins are poisonous to all wolves, foxes and dogs? Please don't feed grapes or raisins to your dogs!

That male emus incubate their eggs? They don't eat or drink while they do, and care for the babies for up to 8 months. We have 2 emus at Bear Creek. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary emus. Emus are from Australia.

That macaws and cockatoos can live 80 to 100 years? These large beautiful bids are intellegent and get bored easily. The need constant attention. We have cocatoos, macaws, parrots, lovebirds cockatiels and pheasants at Bear Creek. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary birds.

We also have a great horned owl. Great horned owls are the only animal that will eat a skunk because they have no sense of smell. (The owl, not the skunk!) Meet Hoolia, the Bear Creek Sanctuary owl.

That avocados, cherry pits, chocolate and caffeine are poisonous to parrots? That includes macaws, cockatoos, cockatiels, lovebirds and parakeets.

That the usual life span for a black Colombian spider monkey in captivity is 20 - 25 years? Our Priscilla is 36 years old. Meet Priscilla, the Bear Creek Sanctuary spider monkey.

That monkeys are stronger than they look? Some scientists estimate that a full grown chimpanzee is 10 times stronger than an adult man. All primates are strong and extremely intellegent and don't make good pets. Meet the Bear Creek Sanctuary primates.

PLEASE REMEMBER, EXOTIC ANIMALS DON'T MAKE GOOD PETS. IT'S NOT GOOD FOR THEM OR FOR YOU TO HAVE THEM.