Santa Ynez Valley

Santa Ynez Valley
Our Backyard

Monday, April 10, 2017

Carolina Tiger Rescue

We discovered that only a few miles from where we were staying in North Carolina, there is a facility called Carolina Tiger Rescue.  This non-profit takes in and cares for large cats that were sick, injured, abandoned or seized by authorities.  Most of these animals had been private "pets" or from failed "roadside attractions".  While it was sad to see these magnificent animals here, they were experiencing a much better existence than where they had been.

With a restriction that kept us a minimum of three feet beyond the chain link fencing, getting photos without the fence in the foreground was difficult.


Ocelots






African Lions




Mountain Lions




Leopard getting a chicken snack





Caracal



Bengal Tigers




North Carolina Spring

Spring is finally starting to arrive in this part of the East.  Trees are now blooming and starting to leaf out.


Red Bud Blossoms



Kwanzan Cherry



And lots of Dogwood trees around





The butterflies are out.



This pair of very human-tolerant doves have been hanging out in our campsite.