Tanya's Story

Tanya 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.

Just as we arrived in Colorado, our team discovered that Shakira II had given birth to two cubs, Tanya and Kizman. The team rushed to separate the cubs and provide them with immediate medical care. Tanya and Kizmin grew up big and strong together at the Refuge, and once they reached maturity, TCWR animal care staff separated them due to fighting. Tanya 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 they are disbursed in her habitat. Tanya is named after the founder of TCWR.