I never knew either grandfather.
They were dead long before my birth. I do recall having heard that my paternal grandfather was a trainer of animals. On the other hand, my maternal great-grandfather once worked with the large animals with Ringling Brothers. Whether it involved sharing a house with a panther (as I did in California) or simply working with animals, I have always loved and respected them and, am happy to report, the feeling seemed to be reciprocal.
There is, at times, a meeting of minds between man and animal: a commonality of spirit; a communion of creatures designed to share the same planet in harmony and without genocidal intent. The beginning of wisdom is the comprehension that perhaps we can do without yet another parking lot or condo complex if it means the loss of habitat and the threat of extinction to a given species. When humankind understands that we are not gods but simply threads in the fabric of life we will begin to respect the entire cloth and attempt to preserve that which, should it cease to exist, would herald the beginning of the end for humanity itself.
Below are some of my pals. Each is an individual and each one valued for his or her distinct personality. Please be patient as it takes a while for the entire page to load but I hope you'll think it worth the wait.
Loki, South Florida
Loki, blue eyed white Siberian.
Kiss my...paw!
These are shots of Tigger, Thurmont, Maryland.
Unlike lions, tigers seldom vocalize but can purr on the exhale. They can also be sweet but not recommended as pets.
Unlike many cats, tigers like water but, as with most large cats, are solitary.
Posing for the camera. We were friends.
In memory of BoBo
who died needlessly
July 13th, 2004.
For more sites by Alix see our index page.
