Di van, My Friend Writes About Angelo and Mich - The Two White Bengal Tigers

Hello friends...  here's a true story of  a couple of White Bengal Tigers, written by my friend Di van, who is an avid animal lover. Should anyone wants to get in touch with Di van, the email has been mentioned below this post. I am really honored to publish my friend Di van's story here in my blog.

Read out the story here....


This is a story of two white Bengal tigers, born at Elmvale Zoo in Canada in 2008.

Angelo and Mich were imported into South Africa in December 2008 as four month old cubs. They were originally destined for a wildlife breeding facility but due to a permit problem ended up on loan to Jukani Wildlife Predator Park in Mossel Bay, a coastal town in the south of the country. Jukani is recognised by South African authorities as a bona fide zoological facility.

In July 2009 Angelo, the male, was diagnosed by a wildlife specialist veterinarian with Progressive Retinal Atrophy, a genetic transferable and incurable disease which would leave him permanently blind.

When the owner of the tigers was advised of Angelo’s plight his response was that Jukani should either buy the animals at Rs. 250 000 per animal (approximately USD 36 000 each) or he would sell them on. This owner has previously been exposed on national television for the supplying of lions to canned hunting operators and also for the slaughtering of lions to sell their bones and body parts to the traditional Chinese medicine market. It is a sad fact, but Angelo is worth more dead than alive.

Fortunately, Jukani has a written agreement which gives them first option to purchase Angelo and Mich at an agreed market related price. They have chosen to exercise that right as they are fearful of the fate that might await the tigers should they be removed from their care.

All tiger sub species are protected under CITES 1 regulations and the hunting of captive or wild tigers is banned internationally. With Angelo going blind our local authorities may grant permission to euthanize him by way of a canned or trophy hunt. South Africa has a dismal animal rights record and the murder of a protected animal in a canned hunt could easily slip through the cracks.

Angelo is a 200 Kg happy and playful boy. He is housed with Mich in a large enclosure and she is becoming his “eyes”. His neighbors are 2 white lions, Tsau and Tendile, and they help him out as well. He has a wonderful support team at Jukani headed by Jurg and Karen Olsen, whose passion for large (and small) cats is absolutely amazing and he has a vet whom he knows and trusts. Angelo has a right to live out his life in peace - his medical condition is the result of inbreeding motivated by greed. As long as his specific needs are taken care of and his caretakers, his enclosure and his companion, Mich, do not alter, there is no reason why he cannot be content. All he is asking for is a chance for him and Mich to live.

A non profit company has been registered to raise funds for Angelo and Mich. A very successful golf day was recently held in Cape Town and a dinner with a sports memorabilia auction is planned for later on this month . All the sports memorabilia is being donated to the cause.

For more information on this campaign visit http://www.jukani.co.za or visit Join Jukani on Facebook www.facebook.com/jukani.felines or follow Jukani on Twitter www.twitter.com/jukani

Author : Di van Zyl (content based on internet research)
e-mail : di.vanzyl@yahoo.com

Note : The author has had the privilege of visiting Angelo and Mich and spending time with them and the Jukani team. Jukani is a well run, properly maintained facility with a
dedicated group of people whose first priority is the welfare of the animals in their care.