Dr. Lamar Hunter has just joined the Carolina Tiger Rescue team as a wildlife veterinarian. After he graduated from NC State’s vet school, Dr. Hunter studied under Dr. Angela Lassiter at Carolina Tiger Rescue. He helps with physicals, medical procedures, and loves seeing the animals improve under the care of the awesome vets at the rescue. Dr. Hunter enjoys working with all the animals at Carolina Tiger Rescue, but his favorite is the lions.
Dr. Hunter’s Blog 7/5/20
When summer hits the sanctuary, keepers get creative to help the animals beat the heat!
Throughout the year, we make every effort to keep our animals comfortable. In the winter, this means heating and filling den boxes with straw. In the summer, this means popsicles, pools, and showers! These methods of cooling the animals also serve as enrichment. It changes up the animal’s day and keeps them physically and mentally active. Staff and volunteers will make popsicles out of water, food coloring, broth, tuna fish, and other tasty treats. These cool snacks are then put down food chutes or into enclosures for the animals to enjoy. To see Madonna and Tio Tiger receive popsicles, check out “Tigers Get Special Treat for Fourth of July” on our Videos page.
Tigers love to swim and cool off in water. In the wild, tigers may swim up to 14 miles in a single day! As the temperatures rise each year, we add pools to the tiger enclosures and regularly clean and refill them. Sometimes, the keepers may move a ball or other enrichment, like a popsicle, into the pool to add another layer of fun. Check out “July 4 Enrichment” on our Videos page to see India Tiger enjoying a popsicle while Carolina Tiger plays in her pool. For our other species that do not enjoy pools, we can spray water from a hose for them to walk through if they please, like a sprinkler you may have at home for hot days! With a variety of animals and personalities, we must have a variety of solutions to beat the heat! How do you like to spend your warm summer days?