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Highlands, British Columbia, Canada: Highlands resident Dave Bennett’s plight to save the life of a two-and-a-half-year-old Bengal Tiger has has taken a twist.

Bennett was prepared to adopt Suzy, a 350-pound Bengal tiger, after her owner in Cowichan Lake was told to get rid of her by the end of the month.

“She faces death or life in the cage, she can never be set free,” Bennett said. “I didn’t want to see her dead.”

But when Highlands residents heard of the new addition to their community, mayor and council found themselves answering numerous phone calls and e-mails of concerns.

Bennett does agree tigers should not be kept as pets, but Suzy has never known life outside a cage.

“I don’t think people should catch new tigers,” Bennett said. “I just don’t want to see her dead.”

After researching their options, council held a special council meeting at the municipal hall on Aug. 22. The first three readings for bylaw No. 311 passed, which prohibits residents from having exotic pets.

“I had no idea there even was a meeting until Mark Cardinal called me after and said that they passed three readings,” Bennett said. “I checked out everything (legally) before I did this. I am not breaking any rules.”

“I tip my hat to Mr. Bennett to save the tiger,” said Mayor Mark Cardinal. “It’s unfortunate tigers are in cages, but we have to look after public safety.”

On Aug. 25 another special council meeting was held and final reading of the bylaw passed.

“It’s good the District of Highlands is acting quickly,” said Sara Dubois, manager of Wildlife Services, BC SPCA.

Laura Beckett, District planner, found a tiger sanctuary in Colorado willing to take Suzy. The only cost of admitting the tiger to the sanctuary would be a $3,000 transportation fee.

Council said it was a difficult decision to make, but knowing the tiger would not be put down made it easier.

“I am not paying to have her sent to Colorado,” Bennett said. “A week ago a cougar was walking down Munns Road, that is more dangerous than this tiger. She’ll be in this pen for the remainder of her life.”

Prior the decision from council Bennett spent $10,000 creating a cage for Suzy 50 feet away from his house.

Measuring 30 feet by 60 feet, the cage walls consist of 12-foot metal poles cemented three feet into the ground and covered with chain link fencing. The fence is buried and cemented into the ground a foot deep.

“I’m going overboard on safety,” Bennett said. “Everything is right by the book.”

Bennett planned to line one side of the cage with bamboo plants. It already has running water, a log, tire swing and a pond for the tiger. He would also be installing two video cameras around the cage.

For the past two-and-a-half years Suzy has lived in a 20 by 20 foot pen wrapped in deer fencing. Her pond consisted of an upside down satellite dish filled with water.

“The cage I am making for her is like a resort,” Bennett said.

Bennett said the previous owner contacted some zoos and asked if they would take the tiger to no avail. Suzy is not a pure bred Bengal and there is speculation she could of have some Siberian tiger in her.

“It is in the interest of the species’ survival breeding program that most zoos accept animals who have the best genetic representation of the species,” said Laurie Herron, Calgary Zoo manager of communications.

Zoos face other issues when accepting new animals.

“It is not that we don’t want them, but space and finances are also an issue,” said Jody Henderson, Greater Vancouver Zoo spokesperson.Without a zoo willing to take the animal, Bennett felt he was the only one to care for the animal.

Bennett owns five acres of property off of Millstream Road. His property is also boarded by power lines which add to his seclusion, Bennett said.

Through research Bennett says he is ready to care for the tiger, but some professionals question weather he is certified to do so.

“He’s taking on a big responsibility,” said Helen Schwantje, provincial wildlife veterinarian for B.C. Ministry of Environment. “(Tigers) can live up to 20 years, as long as a domestic cat.”

It’s a responsibility Bennett is up for.

“I’ve lived at this house for the past 19 years,” he said, “and I am going to die here.”

A Thirteen year old boy in in a critical condition in a Johannesburg Hospital and he was among a group which were attacked by a leopard in Dinoka, a village near Zeerust on Wednesday.

Inspector Sam Tselanyane said “The boy, Oageng Mogale, was in his home’s yard when the [leopard] pounced on him. His father rushed to assist him but the animal attacked him too.”

Father and son sustained injuries to the head and body. The leopard went up a hill after “a hassle with another relative in the yard”.

Police and the North West Parks Board were alerted and the community joined in the search for the animal, said Tselanyane.

“While busy searching, the [leopard] emerged from the trees and pounced on the police officers.

“One of the cops fired shots from his rifle and the leopard diverted its attention to a police reservist who also fired a shot from his gun,” he said.

“A reservist was shot twice in the leg by diverted ammunition.”

He said the [leopard] was becoming more and more aggressive, attacking randomly.

However, the officers started shooting it simultaneously and it was killed.

All the injured were taken to the Zeerust hospital. It was not known where the leopard had come from.

Tselanayne said the village was in a very mountainous and bushy area near the Botswana border.

“It might have come from there, we don’t know. The North West Parks Board is conducting investigations”, he added.

Sapa earlier reported that it was a tiger and not a leopard that attacked the village.

Bengal Garden (located in Springville, Utah) have a litter of three black spotted / rosetted bengal kittens available. Kittens will be registered with TICA and will be available to go to their new homes on Aug 27.  More photos, pedigree details and contact info available here.

Survival of the thirty-five remaining Amur leopards of the Russian Far East has been given a boost following the government’s decision to establish a unified, centrally governed protected area.

The proposal will see jurisdiction of Russia’s oldest nature reserve, Kedrovaya Pad, as well as two adjacent wildlife refuges transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology from the three separate agencies that currently regulate them.

“Decentralised management of the protected areas in the leopard habitat made it impossible to implement a unified program for leopard restoration over many years,” said Igor Chestin, Director of WWF Russia. “Moreover, protection of Red List species, which includes the Far Eastern Leopards, did not fall under the remit of any of the other agencies.”

Russian Vice-Premier Sergei Ivanov served as arbiter in meetings between the agencies, and his support for the proposal was key to enabling all parties to come to an agreement.

“This announcement marks the culmination of five years of hard work by WWF” added Chestin “This is a real opportunity for the leopard population in the region to gain a foothold and pull themselves up from the brink of extinction.”

Once established, the joint protected area will cover about 2,000 square kilometres, and will be home to half of the remaining leopard population.

Discussions at the meeting also turned to other threats to the leopard population, including poaching and construction projects through the protected area.

“Any construction in the region should take into consideration the fragile state of this leopard population,” said Chestin. “Activities undertaken should in no way threaten the existence of the species.”

The agreement also includes a mandate for the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to start formal talks with the Chinese Government on an agreement for transboundary conservation of the Far Eastern leopard.

PlayKatz Bengals, who are based in Donald, Oregon, have two female brown rosetted bengal kittens available for sale. Kittens are TICA registered and will be ready to go to new homes - late Sepember / early October. Further photos, info and contact details are available on the breeders advertisement.

Treasure Coast Bengals of Vero Beach, Florida have a litter of brown marble and brown rosetted bengal kittens for sale. Kittens will be ready to go to new homes from Sept 19 onwards. See breeder ad for more photos and contact details.

Village Bengals have a litter of 4 males and 2 female brown spotted bengal kittens for sale.  Kittens are descendants of Supreme Grand Champion - Calcatta’s Custom Made. They were born July 24 and will be ready to go to forever homes in October. Village are located in Schaumburg, Illinois. See breeder listing for further info.

We’d like to welcome Redwoodshen Bengals as new advertisers on the website. Redwoodshen are located in Martinez, California and currently have a snow lynx point marble male bengal kittens who will be ready to go to a new home on Sept 8. Also available is a litter of brown spotted and brown marble bengal kittens (male and female) which will be ready to go to forever homes on Sept 20. See breeder listing for further info and contact details.

We’d like to welcome Bella Bengals who are advertisng on the website for the first time. Bella Bengals are based in Yakima, Washington and currently have brown spotted male and female bengal kittens available. They were born on August 03rd. They are eligible for TICA registration, will have age appropriate vaccinations and be wormed. See breeder listing for further details.

LeopardTopia Bengals, located on the Mid North coast, in New South Wales (NSW) Australia, currently have a silver marble male bengal kitten for sale. He was born in May and is now ready to go to a new forever home. He is microchipped, vaccinated and de-sexed. See breeder listing for further info and contact details.