US Tigers - Rescue operation for newborn tigers, other animals
TAPE: EF03/0425
IN_TIME: 03:44:40
DURATION: 2:17
SOURCES: APTN
RESTRICTIONS:
DATELINE: California - 6 May 2003
SHOTLIST
1. Animal shelter workers feeding baby tigers
2. Close shot of baby tiger drinking from milk bottle
3. Close shot of woman feeding baby tiger
4. Close shot of baby tigers drinking milk
5. Wide shot of workers feeding tigers
6. Close shot of baby tiger in cage
7. Close shot of Cindy Traisi with baby tiger
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Cindy Traisi, co-manager, Fund for Animals Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
"We'll probably care for them for several months, at least till the court case is over and custody is granted, probably to the state of California. And then once they're weaned and in real good health we'll find an appropriate sanctuary."
9. Truck driving past adult tiger compound at the rehab center
10. Close shot of adult tigers playing in water pool
11. Close shot of young tiger walking toward Cindy Traisi
12. Close shot of tiger
13. Close shot of pygmy hippo inside compound
14. Hippo with Chuck Traisi
15. Close shot of adult tigers playing
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Chuck Traisi, co-manager, Fund for Animals Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
"These are animals that never should have been born. These tigers, others you've seen, other exotic animals you've seen here, were bred for pure profit. They weren't bred in the interest of conservation or preservation, they were bred for profit to be sold to amuse people to be trained....a shameful act, an action that is indefensible in this country."
17. SOUNDBITE (English) Cindy Traisi, co-manager, Fund for Animals Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
"It's a very big problem. And....we are working on the passage of an exotic animal bill that would prevent the interstate transfer of these animals, which would nip a lot of it in the bud."
18. Close shot of baby tiger
STORYLINE
A husband and wife team near San Diego in California are working to rescue newborn tigers and other big cats from America's exotic animal trade.
Chuck and Cindy Traisi and a team of volunteers are busy caring for 10 baby tigers at their wildlife animal shelter a few miles north of San Diego.
Their new tiger brood are joined by two infant leopards, a baby bobcat and a mountain lion.
It's all part of an effort at the 13-acre site to rescue and care for exotic animals born into captivity.
For the tiger cubs, it's a life unlike that of their wild cousins in the native habitats of India, Africa and central Asia.
These infant tigers now in the care of the Traisi team were seized late last month from an exotic animal trainer-turned animal shelter operator in Riverside County, about 60 miles east of Los Angeles.
In a raid at the man's home, state and federal officials found the infant tigers, along with 90 dead tigers, including 58 tiger cubs stuffed into freezers.
Officials discovered the tiger and leopard cubs crawling around in the home's attic, along with a variety of underfed animals roaming the property.
The Traisis took in the cubs and several of the older cats into their care, while officials try to prosecute the shelter owner for several violations, including the breeding of exotic cats, which is illegal in California.
The breeding and sale of these animals for profit, says Chuck Traisi, is driven by the demand in the US for exotic pets and for exotic animal acts.
Tigers are of particular concern, say officials, because of the demand.
Not only are people trying to keep them as pets, which is outlawed in some states, including California, but there is a trade in tiger parts as well, especially outside the US.
The Traisis say their mission is only the welfare of the animals that come to their shelter, The Fund For Animals Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre.
When the tiger cubs are healthy, says Cindy Traisi, they'll be transferred to another qualified sanctuary for long-term care.
A set of four young adult tigers will be transferred soon to a sanctuary in Colorado, say the Traisis.