Blog | Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

Like, Share, Exploit: The Hidden Cost of Viral Videos

Each year, tens of millions of animals are drawn into the exotic pet trade for various reasons, fueling a multi-billion-dollar global industry. In recent years, social media has played a significant role in this surge, with an increasing number of exotic animals entering homes and appearing in widely shared online videos. These videos, often portraying […]

January 14, 2025 View Article

A Long Winter Nap at TCWR

Did you know that bears don’t actually hibernate in the way most people think? Instead of hibernation, bears will undergo a process known as torpor, similar to hibernation. Torpor is a state in which an animal experiences reduced physiological activity, marked by a slower heart rate, decreased metabolism, slower respiration, or lowered body temperature (Merriam-Webster, […]

January 2, 2025 View Article

The New E.R.A of TCWR

With a new year comes exciting changes. We are excited to announce the rebranding of Turpentine Creek Foundation, Inc. After months of dedicated reflection and community engagement, this highlights the organization’s commitment to enhancing philanthropic support. It is more than a new and fresh look; it signifies the Foundation’s dedication to increasing engagement to support […]

December 30, 2024 View Article

Happy Holidays: A Quick Year in Review

As another year comes to a close, the urgent need to address the small cat crisis has become more evident than ever, demanding greater attention and awareness of the industry’s hidden horrors for wild cats. TCWR began 2024 on a high note by completing Freedom Field, 44 new habitats on 13 acres. This new section […]

December 24, 2024 View Article

The Power of Recurring Donations: A Lifeline for TCWR

TCWR’s mission to provide lifetime refuge for abused and abandoned big cats is a daily commitment. This unwavering dedication is made possible through generous donations from our supporters. While one-time donations are immensely valuable, recurring donations help the Refuge sustain ongoing efforts like daily care, emergency medical care, habitat maintenance, and rescue operations. Monthly donations […]

December 18, 2024 View Article

TCWR Embraces New Partnership with Wildlife Confiscations Network

The Wildlife Trafficking Alliance (WTA), established in 2019, is a coalition of over 80 prominent organizations, including nonprofits and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), working collaboratively to combat and eradicate the illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products. The WTA includes various departments dedicated to its mission, one of which is the Wildlife […]

December 10, 2024 View Article

Your Role in Protecting Big Cats: Reporting Abuse with the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance

The Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA) celebrated a huge win this year as it became a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. Founded in 2017, the BCSA “works to eliminate private ownership and the commercial exploitation of wild cats in the United States” (Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance, 2024). The BCSA allows sanctuaries to collaborate, support, and partner […]

December 4, 2024 View Article

Giving Tuesday 2024: Join the Fight Against Bobcat Fever & Save Lives

Giving Tuesday is an annual “global day of giving” created to empower individuals, communities, and organizations to band together for philanthropic efforts. Created in 2012 as a simple idea for people to support and give back to worthy causes, it has now become a year-round global movement inspiring hundreds of millions to give, collaborate, and […]

November 27, 2024 View Article

Fall Enrichment at Turpentine Creek: Pumpkins, Leaf Piles, and Foraging Fun

As the crisp autumn air rolls into the Ozarks, the animals at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge experience a change of pace that brings exciting opportunities for seasonal enrichment. At the heart of the Refuge’s fall enrichment activities are pumpkins, piles of fallen leaves, and hidden treasures like acorns, which help keep the animals mentally stimulated, […]

November 19, 2024 View Article

Feeding at the Refuge – The excitement of Turkey season

As stated in our 2023 Financial Report, last year, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge fed out 184,110 points of meat (an average of 550 lbs. of meat per day!). Carnivores require a strict, meat-based diet, and at the Refuge, we add additional supplements to account for the nutrients wild cats would obtain from feeding on a […]

November 18, 2024 View Article