Kizmin's Story

Kizmin arrived at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) with 33 other animals during the Colorado Project of 2016-2017. TCWR acquired a closing, 12-acre roadside establishment with over 100 animals living in deplorable conditions with minimal veterinary care. Due to health issues, the previous owner could no longer operate his breeding and cub petting operation. Many enclosures had access doors made of rotting plywood and a padlock to contain apex predators. Additionally, with compacted dirt and woodchip flooring, the animals had little shade from the glaring eastern Colorado sun. Our team worked tirelessly on-site for six months and collaborated with other accredited Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) sanctuaries to transport and provide lifelong Refuge to these animals. During this period, TCWR assisted in founding the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA) to unite accredited sanctuaries for future rescues and to educate and provide awareness to the public about the plight of the growing wild cat crisis.

Just as we arrived in Colorado, Shakira II gave birth to two cubs, Kizmin and Tanya. Our team rushed to separate the cubs from a tigress with no motherly instincts, as she’d been forced to produce multiple litters over the past two years only to have them ripped away for cub petting. Due to our immediate medical care, Kizmin and Tanya grew up big and strong together at the Refuge. Once they reached maturity, we separated them due to fighting. Kizmin lives on her terms and enjoys watching her neighbors while soaking up the sun on her platform bench. Her favorite enrichment item is boxes; she enjoys shredding them as fast as her team places them in her habitat. Kizmin likes to take naps in the sun on the bench or underneath the bench in the shade.