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I was just in Las Vegas for business this past weekend but I was able to make time to go to the Mirage Secret Gardens Exhibit (Siegfried and Roy's Lions and Tigers)

Notes from the Exhibit
-It's the closest I have ever gotten to big cats and what can I say.... THEY ARE BIG!!!!!!!!

-The Male white tiger is 470lbs and 7 years old, his brother wasn't on exhibit but the zoologist said he is 500lbs, the two adult male white lions (from Timbavati) weren't on exhibit but their sons (2 years old) were so I got to see them. The african leopard was HUGE... he was estimated by me to be at least 150lbs, probably more. The Tigress' are just massive.... They are at least 350lbs and they are both belonging to the brother tiger (not shown) and they are the mother of the cub shown, there is another white tiger cub as well, didn't get a good picture of her, Both are females.

-The enclosure has 3.2 acres in the back they said, which the cats are rotated in and out of.

-The Two adult male White Lions are 12 years old, they are weighed at 520lbs and 550lbs... HUGE!  She did say that since they are old, their muscles have begun to atrophy and their beginning to become obese, she said in their prime they were 500lbs and 480lbs. Interesting that they actually gained weight as they became older, but captive cats live longer so they probably begin to deteriorate around the age of 15+.

-The male white tigers head and neck were just massive, not an ounce of fat on him, and he is TALL! When he looks at you, you feel his presence. I tried to talk to him in my best "tiger yawl" but I got no response haha

-The female Indian Leopardess was gorgeous, their is a noticeable difference between the african and indian leopards spots, the indian seems to have much darker spots and closer together.

-My challenge to you guys is to guess the age of the cubs.... I got the exact age, lets see how you do.

All and all, the cats look very healthy so they take great care of them and like I said before, this isn't your typical zoo, I was with in 4 feet of these cats and they were all very active unlike many zoo specimens I see.


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