The Colorado Project

The Colorado Project: A Historic Nationwide Rescue of 115 Animals

In August 2016, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) learned of an urgent crisis involving 115 big cats, bears, and other wild animals living at a privately owned, 11.7-acre roadside zoological park in Calhan, Colorado. After more than two decades of operation, the facility’s owner had been diagnosed with terminal cancer and could no longer manage or care for the massive population of animals in his care.

Uncovering Systemic Exploitation & Substandard Conditions

Upon assessing the Calhan property, TCWR’s leadership confronted a stark reality: 115 animals crammed onto less than 12 acres. The facility operated as a high-volume cub-petting destination, where young big cat cubs were forcibly separated from their mothers shortly after birth to generate revenue through paid public interactions.

Compounding the crisis was an unmonitored captive breeding program where male and female animals were housed together without reproductive control. Many animals lived on compacted dirt and woodchips littered with exposed nails, confined within dilapidated enclosures featuring rotting plywood doors, simple padlocks, and minimal shade from the intense Colorado sun. Some cages were smaller than a single parallel parking space. As a result of improper nutrition—often designed to keep cubs unnaturally small for photo-ops—many animals suffered from metabolic bone disease, severe muscle atrophy, and unaddressed medical issues.

An Unprecedented Acquisition & Strategic Decision

In late September 2016, TCWR partnered with Tigers in America (TIA) to acquire the land and secure the donation of all 115 animals. Because the Calhan facility operated under older, grandfathered state exemptions that did not meet current regulations or TCWR’s rigorous Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) accreditation standards, bringing the property into full compliance would require millions of dollars in structural rebuilding.

Rather than diverting vital financial resources away from the animals’ immediate medical and lifelong needs, TCWR made a compassionate, strategic decision: permanently close the Calhan operation and coordinate a nationwide relocation effort to place every single animal in a verified permanent home.

Mobilizing On the Ground in Calhan

TCWR President Tanya Smith, Vice President Scott Smith, and a dedicated team of staff and alumni interns established a continuous presence in Calhan to stabilize the facility. Local TCWR alumni—including Colorado veterinarians, wildlife researchers, and Boy Scouts from the Pikes Peak Council—volunteered hundreds of hours to clear debris, build enrichment structures, and assist with hands-on animal care.

During the initial takeover, the rescue team handled several critical medical situations:

• Newborn Tiger Cubs: Tigress Mama Shakira II unexpectedly gave birth on-site to two white tiger cubs—named Tanya (after TCWR’s founder) and Kizmin (after TIA’s founder)—who required immediate specialized care.
• Metabolic Bone Disease: Three white tiger cubs—Black Fire, Peyton, and Rocklyn—arrived unable to walk, suffering from severe metabolic bone disease and fractured hind legs due to poor diets in their early months. Transferred to TCWR’s Jackson Memorial Veterinary Hospital in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, all three received medical therapy and proper nutrition, eventually making full recoveries.
• Urgent Veterinary Needs: Several adult cats required emergency medical interventions, including lion Daniel, who underwent a mass removal and an eye enucleation surgery.

A Six-Month Nationwide Sanctuary Collaboration

What unfolded over the next six months became the largest collaborative rescue effort in U.S. sanctuary history—known as “The Colorado Project.” Working alongside Tigers in America, TCWR spearheaded an unprecedented coalition of 14 other accredited sanctuaries nationwide, including Big Cat Rescue, Cleveland Armory Black Beauty Ranch, Carolina Tiger Rescue, In-Sync Exotics, PAWS, The Wildcat Sanctuary, and Forest Animal Rescue.

Between September 2016 and February 10, 2017, the sanctuary network successfully rehomed all 115 animals:

• 34 animals found lifelong sanctuary at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.
• 81 animals were safely relocated to the 14 accredited partner sanctuaries across the country.

A Lasting Legacy for Captive Wildlife

The success of the Colorado Project demonstrated what accredited sanctuaries can achieve when united by a shared commitment to animal welfare. This historical undertaking also served as a primary catalyst for the formation of the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA), a national coalition dedicated to supporting future large-scale rescues and advocating against commercial breeding.

For the 115 survivors of Calhan, Colorado, rescue marked the end of neglect and commercial exploitation—and the beginning of a life defined by spacious grassy habitats, specialized veterinary care, proper nutrition, and the lasting promise of true sanctuary.