International Exotic Animal Sanctuary

Thursday I went on a field trip with our Science Club to the International Exotic Animal Sanctuary in Boyd, Texas. I was excited to spend the day with a great bunch of kids, and also to possibly take some interesting pictures.

The sun was high and the day was hot.  The animals wisely sought shade, which unfortunately made the light challenging.  Fortunately, this American Trumpet Vine couldn't escape.

Light filtered through the canopy to brilliantly spotlight a Red Yucca, made all the more dramatic by the dark shadows in the background.  As has often happened before, I failed to notice the tiny visitor on one of the buds until I began processing images on my computer.

As I mentioned, the shadows that the animals sought for comfort gave me some challenging lighting conditions to work with.  I was able to get something decent of one of the White Tigers -- Titan -- who fixed me directly with an unsettling stare.  I actually got scolded by our tour guide for lingering behind the group to get this shot.  I assume separating myself from the rest of the herd made me appear to be a tantalizing potential prey item.  My bad!

We ate lunch in an area that featured some unexpected sculptures, an odd contrast to the utilitarian functionality of the rest of the sanctuary.

We passed the facility's lone resident African Lion early in the tour -- a male named Odin.  He had his back to us at the time and didn't make a compelling photo subject.  But before we prepared to leave I found myself face to face with him.

As much as I appreciate the commitment of places like IEAS to providing a safe home for the animals they care for, I always imagine I see a deep sadness in the eyes of many of those animals.  I don't know if the animals realize in any meaningful way that this is not the life they were made for.  But I can't help but wonder how much of a favor it really is to these magnificent creatures to spend the remainder of their days in a cage, doing little more than waiting to die.  A complicated question with no obvious answer.

IEAS does rely on donations to care for their residents -- lions, tigers, bears, wolves, and other exotic animals that for a variety of reasons cannot be kept in zoos or released into the wild.  Please click here if you would like to make a contribution.