Carolina Tiger Rescue

Home
United States
Pittsboro, NC
Carolina Tiger Rescue

GFAS-accredited wild cat sanctuary working to save and protect wild cats in captivity and in the wild
(2946)

Carolina Tiger Rescue not only provides a forever home for exotic animals in need, we educate the public on how every day we can make a difference for wild cats in captivity and in the wild. We fight for the day when these beautiful creatures are no longer exploited by humans.

09/06/2026

A tiger’s nose may tell you its age🐽
A study done in 2024 with pictures of Amur tigers showed that the spots on their nose could be used to help determine their age.

They found the number of spots and their darkness increased with age. In the older individuals, the spots would even sometimes take over the entire pink nose. They had great success with predicting age using the nose characteristics as well as facial characteristics.

Though we don’t know the genetic makeup or subspecies of our rescued tigers, studies such as this could be beneficial for wild populations!

If you would like to read more about this study, we have cited the source below.

📖Source: Zhao et al. (2025), Integrative Zoology 20:186–198. DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12817

09/05/2026

Wild bobcat diets will shift depending on what prey is available🐁

In addition to having a large range that includes a variety of environments, bobcats are also opportunistic hunters.
This means bobcats will eat anything from rodents like mice, to small mammals such as rabbits and hares. They have been seen hunting larger prey or weakened animals in the winter as well.
If natural prey is very limited they may hunt domestic animals such as chickens and small livestock but that is less common.

Being adaptable with diet and environment is in part what allows the species to remain abundant and considered least concern for extinction.

09/03/2026

🐺 A meal with a little caution. That’s exactly what we want to see from Cedar Red Wolf.

As participants in the Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) program, we give Sage and Cedar Red Wolf as natural an environment as possible. Their habitat is located far from our public tour route and away from much of the daily activity at the Sanctuary, helping them remain wary of people.

Even the photos and videos we share are captured from a distance using long camera lenses. We never want Cedar or Sage to become accustomed to human presence, because that natural wariness could be critical if they have an opportunity to return to the wild.

We may not be able to bring you close to Red Wolves through tours, but we’re happy to bring you a glimpse of their world. 🐺

Learn more about the Red Wolf SAFE program and how you can do your part to help protect this critically endangered species: https://www.fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program

09/02/2026

🐯 This week’s is brought to you by India Tiger! India has been staying cool in one of her smaller pools, where she can keep an eye on the staff and volunteers working hard around the Sanctuary.

Did you know tigers are excellent swimmers? 🏊‍♀️ They often use water to cool off, especially during hot weather, and may spend plenty of time lounging in a pool when they get the chance!

🚨 Our Priority Needs This Week:

🧤 Medium Nitrile Gloves: We’re completely out! Animal Care uses gloves every day while preparing diets, feeding animals, and cleaning enclosures, making these an essential part of daily care.

🐟 Fish Oil: We’re also out of fish oil, an important supplement that helps keep the coats of our Kinkajous, Coatimundis, and Red Foxes healthy.

Other Ways to Help:

🔋 Electric Mower Battery Charger: Our site team uses the electric mower to safely maintain areas near animals who may be nervous around louder equipment.

🧼 Hand Soap Refills: Hand soap is used throughout the Sanctuary every day to maintain hygienic spaces and help keep both people and animals healthy.

Want to help keep the Sanctuary stocked? You can find these and other items on our Amazon Wishlist! 💚

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/2M555CKK8GMCN?ref_=list_d_wl_lfu_nav_1

09/01/2026

🐺 September Species of the Month: The Red Wolf 🐺

We’re proud to be a participant in the Red Wolf SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) program, a conservation effort led by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help protect one of the most endangered canids in the world. Through this program, we provide Cedar and Sage, our resident Red Wolves, with specialized care and enriching habitats while supporting the larger effort to protect their species.

The future of Red Wolves depends on conservation efforts both in the wild and through carefully managed programs in human care. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, as of August 2026, there are an estimated 22–23 adult and subadult Red Wolves and 14–15 pups in the wild, with 21 wild Red Wolves known through tracking and collaring efforts. Another 295 Red Wolves are part of the Red Wolf SAFE program in human care.

Red Wolves once ranged throughout much of the southeastern United States, but habitat loss, human conflict, vehicle collisions, and other threats have dramatically reduced their numbers.

Cedar and Sage have an important role in the conservation of their species, which is why you won’t meet them on a tour. Because Red Wolves in the SAFE program may have the opportunity to contribute to future conservation efforts, we take special care not to habituate them to humans or encourage them to approach people. There is always a possibility that a Red Wolf in the program could one day be released into the wild, and remaining wary of humans is an important part of surviving there.

We’re honored to care for Cedar and Sage and to play a role in the larger effort to give Red Wolves a future in the wild. Learning about this species, sharing their story, and supporting conservation efforts are all ways our community can help.

Learn more about Red Wolf conservation through the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service:
https://www.fws.gov/project/red-wolf-recovery-program

08/31/2026

Photography game farms utilize perspective to create images that appear wild, without showing what's really behind the scenes. 🌿🐅

For example, the top photograph versus the bottom photograph of Amir Tiger in his enclosure at the sanctuary shows the difference the perspective can have on where the viewer believes the animal to be.

If you only saw the close-up picture of Amir in the lush grass with a caption such as “Tiger seen crouching in the Jungle” individuals could make it seem as though they had captured a picture of a wild tiger when, in fact, it was just the perspective that they wanted to show.

Photography game farms will have wild animals that live in small captive spaces and are brought out or are placed in areas that resemble native environments for photo opportunities. Photographers can pay to come to these farms to capture images and utilize perspective to make it seem like a rare sighting. These photos can be posted on social media, in journals, or on their websites. The animals are frequently kept in poor conditions and are considered an opportunity for profit to these farms.

Researching the photos you see online to ensure they come from legitimate sources can be tricky, but it is one way we can work toward having no photography game farms. Unfortunately, many people do not know that such facilities even exist.

📷🐆Did you know about photography game farms prior to this post?

08/30/2026

Pixie Serval uses her denbox as a platform. All of our enclosures have plenty of places for the animals to climb and hide. Even the on-tour residents have the option to stay hidden and be off tour for the day if they want. True sanctuaries provide animals with choice. 😶‍🌫️

08/29/2026

Sometimes enclosure mates are the best enrichment. Tigers are naturally solitary, but Guru and Amir do well living together. They can often be seen playing and head butting. Social groups can be a form of enrichment.

08/28/2026

Grover Bobcat, unlike many of our residents, was born in the wild. Due to a leg injury, he was deemed unreleasable, so the sanctuary is now his forever home. As a wild born animal, Grover has a healthy fear of humans. He is very curious though and slowly building up his confidence.

08/27/2026

THEIR STORIES LIVE ON: ELVIS SERVAL 2007 - 2025

Born in 2007, Elvis arrived at Carolina Tiger Rescue in April 2009 after being privately owned as a pet. He was left at our gates with a note explaining that his owners could no longer care for him.

At just two years old, Elvis had already spent much of his young life in confined spaces. When he first entered his new habitat, he paced in small circles for weeks, learning the boundaries of a space unlike anything he had known before. With time, patience, and room to explore, Elvis began to embrace sanctuary life and became a beloved part of the sanctuary.

Elvis passed away in 2025, but his story still reminds us why servals are not pets. As exotic small cats mature, their territorial behaviors, specialized needs, and natural instincts can become overwhelming for private owners. Across the United States, this can leave animals like Elvis in need of sanctuary.

When wild animals are raised in human care, they miss the experiences they would have gained from growing up in the wild, including learning essential behaviors from their mothers and developing the skills needed to find food, avoid danger, and navigate their environment. Animals who have become dependent on humans for food and care cannot simply be released and expected to survive.

That is why sanctuary becomes their home. Carolina Tiger Rescue provides the lifelong care these animals need, but the best way to help is to prevent the cycle from beginning. Choosing not to purchase exotic cats helps reduce the demand that keeps private breeding for the pet trade going.

We remember Elvis for the life he found at sanctuary, the space he learned to explore, and the gentle reminder he leaves behind: wild animals belong where their needs can be fully understood and respected. Ultimately, that place is the wild.

Address

1940 Hanks Chapel Road
Pittsboro, NC
27312

Telephone

+19195424684

Website

http://www.carolinatigerrescue.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Carolina Tiger Rescue posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Carolina Tiger Rescue:

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Pittsboro?