Originally published in:
Weber State University on October 30, 2020
Written by By Taylor Benincosa, Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary - Carnivore Keeper
Working at a nonprofit animal sanctuary as a carnivore keeper tends to be an adventure every day. The opportunity to be innovative and creative when it comes to solving problems presents itself quite often. September 8, 2020, was no exception. After large wind storms, the night before, another keeper and I went into work expecting to repair the damage done to enclosures, get the power in our barn back on, and care for all the animals. While preparing diets, we received an unexpected phone call telling us that a wildfire was rapidly spreading, and we needed to begin evacuating the facility immediately. The smoke became more prominent over the property as we began moving animals to a different location as quickly as possible. The bright red skies made everything feel so eerie and dangerous.
I'll never forget the look in the tigers' eyes while we waited for their transport crates to be ready. The fear I saw within them was heartbreaking.
After two days, we had evacuated 70 plus animals off of the Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary property, including tigers, lions, cougars, bobcats, servals, cheetahs, and domestic/hybrid cats. We spent the next two weeks dividing our team-up between a makeshift triage shelter created with the help of amazing volunteers at a barn far away from potential danger, as well as Wildlife Safari. Wildlife Safari is a facility we reached out to who offered to house our 14 big cats until we were able to return to the sanctuary. I can't express my gratitude to everyone who stepped in to help during the chaos, especially after having to evacuate my own home in the middle of it all. After a month of temporary housing, we are finally all moved back home. Seeing the big cats recognize their own enclosures and feel safe enough to play and sleep belly up out in their yards was one of the most rewarding things I've ever experienced.
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- The property on the second day of evacuation
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- Another keeper and I taking a break from the smoke
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- Nora waiting to be put in the moving truck to go to a safer location
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- Atticus returning to the sanctuary after the evacuation
Growing up, I always wanted to be like the people I watched on Animal Planet: the ASPCA who saved animals from natural disasters or unfit living conditions, Steve Irwin and his knowledge of wildlife and how to protect them, and the zookeepers who worked closely with exotic animals. This passion for animals inspired me to pursue a zoology degree and find work at a facility that cares for animals who came from abuse. These animals have faced so much already in life, an example being our lionesses who were bred by the infamous Joe Exotic, that keeping them safe during this unexpected situation was incredibly important. It was eye-opening to see how deeply this passion was rooted within me when faced with an emergency situation.
Adapting to uncertainty and fear was easy when it meant that these animals would be out of danger if I kept going.
Find what you are passionate about, live your life knowing that you are making a difference, and keep fighting for your dreams.
I never expected to experience the things I have in this field, but I'm grateful for every moment of it.
