Pork Chop Family

[Odie 0]

 

In a zoo in California , a mother tiger gave birth to a rare set of triplet tiger cubs. Unfortunately, due to complications in the pregnancy, the cubs were born prematurely and due to their tiny size, they died shortly after birth. The mother tiger after recovering from the delivery, suddenly started to decline in health, although physically she was fine. The veterinarians felt that the loss of her litter had caused the tigress to fall into a depression. The doctors decided that if the tigress could surrogate

another mother's cubs, perhaps she would improve.

 

 

After checking with many other zoos across the country, the depressing news was that there were no tiger cubs of the right age to introduce to the mourning mother. The veterinarians decided to try something that had never been tried in a zoo environment. Sometimes a mother of one species will take on the care of a different species. The only orphans' that could be found quickly, were a litter of weanling pigs. The zoo keepers and vets wrapped the piglets in tiger skin and placed the babies around the mother tiger. Would they become cubs or pork chops? Take a look...you won't believe your eyes

 

 

 

[RikerChick 5]

*dies* This post just made my day

[trekz 7]

That's amazing, and so sweet. What zoo is it?

[Odie 0]

Mother's love!

[Wishfire 2]

The story isn't entirely accurate. For one, that zoo is in Thailand, not California. Secondly, those pigs weren't given to the tiger because she lost her young, but because that particular zoo's main attraction is mixing species in such fashions. At the time those pictures were taken, there was also a pig who was nursing several tiger cubs (which means that the whole "there were no available cubs" part is also false).

 

Sorry to ruin it, but the pictures are still real, and are quite intriguing (and cute) by themselves.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Whatever the true story - I think the photos show the need to love and make contact with other living things can often extend beyond our perceived boundaries. (and yes I know - we don't know that animals are capable of emotions)

 

On the other hand - that seems a bit unethical for a zoo to be doing that; I thought the enlightened view of zoos in the modern age was to make the animals environment as realistic as possible.

[Odie 0]

I got it from my husband, and I really don't have the heart to tell him the truth.

 

Here is the link to the real store. Tiger and piglets

Edited July 16, 2008 by Odie

[He Who Shall Not Be Named 2]

You know what will happen.

 

Eventually these pigs will be released into the wild and begin hunting antelope, water buffalo, etc.

[Gabri 0]

Well, the story is kind of disturbing, but I have to admit that the pictures are adorable.