So on Saturday January 2nd, we made time to create a date day instead.
Have you ever been to The Wild Animal Sanctuary (TWAS) in Keenesburg, CO? We decided that a crisp blue-sky day was the perfect time to take drive in the Tesla, a wander around and drink in some stories of rescue animals... and I mean shockingly, disgraceful stories of neglect and abuse - some even coming from now infamous "rescue facilities" in the USA!
The Wild Animal Sanctuary has been around since 1980, but for the first 20 years, it was closed to the public. You see, this place is dead serious about putting the needs of the animals first. The rescued animals are all territorial and with the approach of strangers, comes a flight or fight response... and none of these are really possible in enclosures, which leads to stress.
Once it was discovered that the animals don't consider the sky to be their territory, elevated platforms and walkways were built and it became possible for people to visit and view lions, tigers, bears, wolves, coyotes, foxes and others, without detrimentally affecting the animals' quality of life.
Now, about 200,000 visitors per year come to TWAS and are educated about the exotic pet, captivity and breeding issues that exist in the US and other countries. The vast majority of the animals here were confiscated by law enforcement or seized with legal action. Most were born in captivity.
Let's talk about who pays for the staff, facility and animal care.
During the summer months, about 49,000/week of food is needed. That number halves in winter as the bears are hibernating. Most animals are eating meat 3x/week. The bears tend to graze and have food available more often - and the black bears get less meat, more vegetables and fruit.
ALMOST ALL of the food is donated by Front Range Walmarts! That's right... our big box stores and uber-wealthy families do fill a niche in the USA too and you too can feel good that when you shop at Walmart near here, you are helping to feed these beautiful animals. Grants and donations also fund the sanctuary, but no, they don't receive State or Federal funding.
There is 1.5 miles of elevated walkway and viewing platforms. A little frosty this morning... at 32 degrees.
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| Fox |
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| Donation plaques. Some are sentimental... some hilarious. |
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| Lynx sunning himself on a platform. |
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| This is how he wakes her up! |
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| At just 5 months old, this guy is the baby of the sanctuary. |
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| These two reminded us of our two - on a grander scale! |
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| Life is good! |
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| Each enclosure has a vehicle path all the way around it, and a view. |
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| The grizzly cub series! These triplets are 15 months old. |
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| Arctic wolf. Majestic. |
The sanctuary is technically not home to bald eagles, but with copious quantities of fresh meat being delivered to enclosures, it's no wonder that each year these eagles make a stop on their way to/from somewhere else. They tend to arrive mid Jan and stay a couple of weeks, but this year they were early. Don't miss your chance to get up close and personal with a national treasure. There are about 40 of them hanging out at TWAS right now. Many are juvenile and haven't got the white head feathers yet. All are breathtaking and yep, they often alight on posts within 20 feet of visitors and stay there for long periods!
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| This big boy is one of four mates living together in a huge enclosure. |
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| He heads up one of the 4 blended family prides. |
When a black bear came unexpectedly and briefly out of hibernation today... his tiger neighbor, was curious. The bear poked around in the sun, posing for pics and rubbing his head and butt against a post, then went back to bed.
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| Chubby is an understatement! |
Some of the tigers choose smaller enclosures over large, open spaces. Several have PTSD type issues after spending a lifetime in a tiny space and others are simply at an age where "assisted living" has become more appropriate and comfortable.
The females are on birth control to stop unwanted pregnancies. If a male is neutered, he suffers negative health effects from the reduced hormones, including the loss of his mane - which helps determine his place in the pride.
I guess what I loved the most about seeing the critters at The Wild Animal Sanctuary is that this is their FOREVER home. Animals that started out in roadside zoo's, private houses and tiny cages, those that had never smelled fresh air or felt grass under their feet, had never learned to run... found their "happily ever after" here, on 789 acres of natural habitat. They can expect to be heaped in love, have a reliable source of food and world class health care for the rest of their lives. Most of them have found new friends, a new pride or blended family. They can be seen playing, resting together and simply looking relaxed and happy at The Wild Animal Sanctuary.
Admission to TWAS:
Right now you need to wear a mask inside the buildings and when passing close to others on the elevated walkway. Reservations are not required unless your party is 10+ people. They are open 7 days a week from 9am and you'll want to allow 3 hours or more, IMHO.There is a 12 minute orientation video to watch before you can begin the walkway outside.
Tickets are $30 for an adult... and please know this is the base price. There is an expectation that you'll also make a self-determined donation. Trust me, you'll be like 5 mins into the video before wondering if it's too late to donate more. It's not. Donations can also be made any time from the comfort of your own home, using the website: https://www.wildanimalsanctuary.org/
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