Marissa's Story

Marissa 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 115 animals living in deplorable conditions with minimal veterinary care. Due to health issues, the previous owner needed to find a new home for all the animals he had acquired. Many of the enclosures had access doors made of rotting plywood and a padlock meant to contain these apex predators. Additionally, they existed on compacted dirt and woodchips, with little shade from the glaring eastern Colorado sun. Our team worked 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.

Before their rescue, Marissa and her sister Louisa were used for cub petting and arrived at the Refuge at just three months of age. Together, they share a habitat where they can sprint from end to end. Marissa is more active than her sister and commonly stalks her keepers or guests as they wander down the bear tunnel. Marissa is also more vocal than her sister, and you can hear her soft purrs and mews as she explores her habitat in the morning hours.