Playing with Kitties!

OK, so they weren't just kitties... they were Liligers, but I'll get to that in a minute ;).

 

We went on a Homeschool field trip to the G.W. Interactive Zoological Foundation!  It is a zoo that takes in animals that are sick, injured, or otherwise abandoned.  We drove up to Oklahoma in the morning so we could get there for a group tour.  It was wet and cold, but otherwise an awesome day at the zoo!  We missed our 10 am tour time so we hung out looking at the animals and were ready for the 12 noon tour. 

 

On the tour we got to go behind the scenes and see even more big cats!  This is the first place were they have successfully mated lion's with tigers... to create a Liger!  Now they have been able to breed the liger with a lion to create Liligers and then breed with a tiger to create Tiligers.  They are really amazing!  At the end of the tour we got to play with an 11 month old liliger.  Her name is Kennedy and she was so cute.  She was really just a huge kitty!  Everyone had lots of turns to pet her and sometimes she climbed up and around us trying to find a way out to explore.  Getting to actually interact with a liliger was really awesome!  All of the kids had a great time!  Sandra asked me this morning if we can go back to the zoo! 

 

Here are some photos of our fun day!

 

Ella holding Lorna - so helpful!

 

 
Ella and Lorna in the cut out :)

 
Grant and Jeremiah by the Bear cage!

 
Tiffany took lots of photos! 

 
On the tour these tigers came right up and nuzzled and played with the worker.  You can tell they are really used to people!

 
This one was licking the worker's hand!

 
Kennedy - cute liliger!

 
Mhari getting climbed!

 
Tiffany's turn!

 
So beautiful!

 
Grant

 
She would nuzzle the workers face!

 
There was a whole wall of name plates (each cage had them for the animals in them also).  I assume these are the animals that have passed on.  Thought they were cool signs... and a cool name too ;)

 
They can stand up 10 feet!  This one also sprayed Nathan!

 
They even have a camel.  We each got to feed it a treat!

 
Uncle Nathan took a turn kissing it!

 
Yawning white tiger!

 
Baby Liligers!

 
This is the Liger!  He is so big!  They never stop growing either!

 

 
Mhari feeding the camel

We will probably go back in the spring.  We had a great time and really enjoyed the experience!