A US wildlife keeper in Colorado killed all of their animals including three tigers, three lions and five bears. Lion's Gate 'Sanctuary' said it was forced to kill all of its captives when permission to relocate them on its land not subject to flooding was denied by county commissioners after what the sanctuary owners said was an "unfair" hearing full of NIMBY™ reactions by local residents. Owners Joan Laub and Peter Winney issued a statement saying, "Elbert County Commissioners did not take... the plight of our animals seriously... [or] the safety of Elbert County residents seriously". There were offers made to re-house the elderly captives by other rescue facilities.
Elbert County officials were surprised by the couple's extreme reaction. A spokesman for the county said the couple indicated they would continue to care for the exotic animals if denied permission to move them. Nevertheless, they killed the cats and bears at once without advance warning. According to the county, Keenesburg Wild Animal Sanctuary, also in Colorado, had “publicly offered to care for the animals at their facility". Laub and Winney deny that other sanctuaries offered to help. Wildcat Sanctuary in Minnesota said in response to the shocking treatment of captive animals as disposable personal property said it took in five animals from the sanctuary when it operated under a different owner and name ten years ago and was ready to help this time.. Wildcat Sanctuary urged the public to demand an investigation of the facility. US Person, aka the Red Dwarf, agrees. [photo credit: Getty Images]
Meanwhile, Indian wildlife researchers said a three year old male tiger walked an incredible 808 miles in five months in search of available habitat, roaming through villages, across roads and through remnant forests from one sactuary in Maharashtra state to another. The journey is an example of the need to connect remaining tiger habitat. The tiger, known as C1 to researchers [photo above] was born in Tipeshwar wildlife sanctuary in 2016. It was collared with GPS in February. C1 is part of research into how sub-adults disperse from their mothers' home territory. C1 was looking for his own home and a mate say tiger experts. He wandered unseen through seven districts before coming to rest in Dnyanganga sanctuary. Most Indian sanctuaries are full of tigers now, so offspring have to travel further to find open territories.