Nau speak: Vegas: Mirage Secret Gardens and Lion and Tiger Habitat

Aww, look at that sleepy face! That would be Apollo, who is now considered a senior citizen. The sign in front of his enclosure says as much. During our visit to Siegfried and Roy's Secret Gardens, most of the big cats were lazing about in the afternoon sun or splashing around in the little pool provided to them. One pair of tigers, in particular, were entertaining themselves with a giant red ball in their wading pool, which was endearing and drew large crowds. I guess a cat will be a cat, no matter how big they get. While I'm definitely more of a dog person, I can appreciate the majesty and attraction of these large predators, especially when they're acting like goofy oversized kittens. It's important to remember, though, that these are predators at the end of the day and can easily crush bones with their powerful jaws, as happened to Roy Horn during that infamous incident where the Bengal tiger Montecore carried him offstage with his jaws and coincidentally left him needing over 25% of his skull removed at the hospital later. Luckily, Roy is recovered and doing well, and is quick to emphasize that the incident was an accident and that the tiger never meant to attack him. To quote the man himself;

“But we need to rectify – he never attacked me,” says Horn. “If a tiger attacks you, you are finished.” In fact, he still calls Montecore “my brother.”

So, please remember to proceed with respect and caution when admiring these beautiful animals. They are as lethal as they are adorable, and while they may have been "tamed" by man they will always have the capabilities to end life with lightning quick ferocity. This is not to disparage tigers, it's simply a reminder that their role in the animal kingdom is that of an alpha predator, and to be reticent of that fact when admiring them (from a safe distance). All those fences and barriers are there as much to protect you from the animals as it is to protect them. Pretty much every camera these days has a zoom, doesn't it? 😉