Dolphin Smile

I spent a few hours yesterday touring an animal sanctuary, Big Cats Of Serenity Springs, near Calahan, Colorado. They take care of big cats- lions, tigers, cougars, jaguars etc. They were captured from the wild years ago by other people and were given to the center by their previous owners because they had outgrown their usefulness to humans, and would otherwise have been destroyed. I was sad to see these beautiful wild animals in captivity and yet their chances of survival are not good if they were released back into the wild. They would also introduce mixed genetic strains into the wild animal population. So I am thankful that this center is taking care of them and not making them perform any tricks for humans.

What amazed me the most was how affectionate these big cats were to their human caretakers. They purred (chuffed) when approached and rubbed up against the fence to touch their human hands.

I asked myself if the roles were reversed would I be as affectionate? If I were previously captured by big cats, dragged around on a leash, made to perform entertaining tricks, subjected to punishment and cruelty, and lived in a fenced in pen, separated from my loved one’s, would I still love and express affection towards the big cats? I don’t think so.

This same thing happens to dolphins. They are captured, abused, and made to do tricks for humans, and yet they still express affection towards us. Now that’s what I call miraculous behavior!!!