Two White Tiger Cubs Nursed Back to Life by Humans After Mother Refuses To Feed Them
Most of the time, nature cares for its own. Creatures are equipped to fend for themselves, find mates, and raise young.
Being in captivity changes that in both good and bad ways. Animals no longer have to die of starvation or go on long treks to find scarce resources, but they can also suffer from stress due to inadequate space, incorrect environment, or simply being a wild animal in a domestic setting.
Kai and White were two tiger babies born at a zoo over three years ago. It soon became clear that they were not doing well because their mother wasn’t taking care of them.
They were nearly bald, and were deteriorating rapidly. The zoo was having no success with them, so they contacted Eugenia and Mikhail, two Russian tiger fanatics.
It’s very important to note, though, that Mikhail and Eugenia are not merely “pet” owners. They realize that tigers have special requirements and need informed, expensive care.
Fortunately, the couple has the means and the space to give these animals the care they need. They stress that ordinary people shouldn’t try to own such exotic creatures, according to the Flying Llama.
Mikhail and Eugenia knew how to help these cubs get healthy and strong, and it wasn’t long before they were on the road to recovery. Now they’re both impressive white tigers, and a far cry from the hairless, pink babies they used to be.
Mikhail’s fascination with these creatures began almost two decades ago, and now he and his wife care for 10 of the big cats. Their videos and photos on Instagram show sleek cats chowing down on hunks of meat or rolling in the grass in expansive pens.
Even though the cats seem happy and healthy, there are plenty of people who are still upset that they are in captivity at all. They argue that no big cats should be anywhere but the wild.
One person on Reddit who goes by the handle postcardpanda pointed this out, questioning the reliability of this rescue narrative.
“But when a story says someone ‘rescued cubs whose mom wouldn’t feed them’ that is 100% someone who has bought cubs from a breeder,” they wrote.
“A reputable rescuer would let wild cats live in big enclosures (think Big Cat Rescue in FL) and does not make them live in a home and do tricks. True sanctuaries rarely get cubs because there are always people willing to buy them…either for their roadside zoos, as “pets”, or part of some for profit animal venture (think “baby tiger” selfies.)”
“They will lie about how they got the cubs, because people would be upset if they knew the truth. Legit sanctuaries usually get older cats, after they’re “used up” by whoever breed or bought them originally.”
While these are valid concerns — and the Instagram account clearly shows that Mikhail’s tigers regularly get featured in photoshoots — another Redditor (irishspice) cleared up some of the issues.
“Like you, I thought it was someone who bought a tiger to show off,” irishspice wrote. “What I found was quite surprising. He is very very rich and does like to have big cats to show off, he is also very knowledgeable and passionate about their needs. He doesn’t run a sanctuary, however.”
“You can see that they have a great life. He states that his dream is to open a sanctuary with huge open areas for them to roam. He does have them socialized as pets but he’s definitely not your standard “I wanna tiger” kind of guy.”
While wild tigers probably do best in their natural environment, where else could tigers like Kai and White go? Hand-reared, they wouldn’t make it in the wild. The best they can hope for is an enthusiast with money, time, and land — and that’s exactly what they got.
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