Big Cat in the City

Not too far from where I live is a locally famous tourist attraction called African Lion Safari. The gimmick there is; the wild animals are free to roam around while the human visitors drive through the park, "caged" inside their cars. ALS has been around for decades - my parents took me when I was a kid. As far as I can recall, no big cats have ever escaped from ALS and roamed the countryside terrifying the locals.


That doesn't mean ALS has operated without incident. Dopey people regularly roll down their car windows to fling french fries and popcorn at the kitty cats. Because these huge, deadly carnivores spend most of their time laying around in the shade I guess visitors assume they are overwhelmed by the summer heat and the ever-present haze of automobile exhaust. Well, no, it turns out Simba is more than ready to jump into your lap for a quick bite.

The most famous incident, from 1996, involved a couple who lowered their windows only to find the cab of their vehicle suddenly overflowing with fur, teeth and claws. Four female Bengal tigers took the opportunity to enjoy a girls luncheon of dumb and dumber. Somehow, these two candidates for a Darwin Award survived and actually had the audacity to sue the park. Amazingly, they were awarded $2.5 million dollars proving that it pays to be stupid.


Personally, I say, "let sleeping tigers lay - preferably back in India." I would rather not have them anywhere near me. And I definitely wouldn't want the lady in the apartment next door keeping one as a pet! Big cats do not make good pets! Just ask Zigfried and Roy.



These three images have been added to my Big Cat Attack! Flickr set.