It’s not everyday you can get this close to a Bengal Tiger. I love exotic animals and today was a treat for me to visit several animals at a local Safari wilderness park called Out of Africa. It’s in NC Arizona outside Sedona in the Verde Valley. If you are in the area, it’s worth the ticket price ($30 adult). Many are animal rescues which were energetic and healthy. They take great care of over 400 animals. Here are some shots I took this morning.
The only animal missing was the elephant. This park is fifteen minutes from my front door. Who knew? Still a tourist after two years living in the valley. Which shot is your favorite?
Cindy Bruchman 
Beautiful photos Cindy, I love them all. But perhaps the first shot of the Bengal is my favorite. How close were you?
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2 feet ! Thanks. There was a guy who was feeding him a piece of steak, and his arm got in the way, but I liked the one eye look. Thanks, Tom.
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I love the shot of the white tiger face
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So cute. He’s a 7month rescued white Bengal. Some idiot brought a pair of smuggled tigers to Phoenix and kept them in their house/back yard. They escaped and roamed the street! After they caught the brothers, they gave them to the wilderness park. They are so beautiful. 🙂
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Some people are selfish idiots. These beautiful animals need space to live in and be happy. Didn’t the guy realise tigers can climb?!
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I know! Not only smuggled one tiger, but two! Sigh. Now they are in a great spot. 🙂
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I enjoy animal parks like this. You got some great photos! I especially love the zebras – I think they are such gorgeous animals.
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I like the stripes. They are hypnotizing and very beautiful animals. Any baby animal is adorable; baby zebra stripes are brown. Didn’t know. The patches on the giraffe were also cool. Love the prints 🙂
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You literally looked into the eye of the tiger. Magnificent.
I think the doleful looking rhinoceros is my favourite.
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Good call Paul. He rarely gets the attention a Bengal Tiger gets. Crotchety old man–I liked his wrinkles. He weighed 4800 pounds and was the size of a truck.
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You have a great eye, Cindy!
Superb shots all around. Majestic cats are always a huge draw. Simply because they are so beautiful and mysterious.
I’m also guessing that Camp Verde and Out of Africa is part of a huge You Tube cache of clips regarding cats and how they respond to catnip, watermelons and large fruit. Or large often gift wrapped and empty boxes to celebrate different holidays.
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LOL, Kevin. You are on a roll ;). It was a fun morning. Looking into the eyes of a tiger is mesmerizing. I can see how people would be frozen in fright.
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How fortunate to live so close, Cindy! And how lucky for me that you’re as fine a photographer as you are. My favorite? Hands down, the giraffe head against the pure blue sky. Picture perfect.
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Hi Ya! Thanks for the kind thoughts. I stuck a celery stick in my mouth and we was going in for a kiss, but then he breathed on me and his nose hairs tickled and I couldn’t hold still. At least I could get a shot as he rose to his tallest height 😉
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OMG, that first shot is incredible! Bengal Tiger is such a beautiful creature, thanks for sharing Cindy!
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I’m partial to felines, but then I thought the giraffe’s eyes and I love the zebra – you have to quit asking the HARD questions, Cindy!!
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🙂 There was an African Black Jaguar there (which is a fav) sitting on her stoop on the hill poised and beautiful, but the shots didn’t come out. The sun was too high and she in the shadows became a silhouette. I wish I could have shared her on my post. Thanks, GP
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Great shots, Cindy. My favorite? The first giraffe shot, the close up of its profile. It looks so regal. 🙂
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OMG. HI JOSH. Are you back? I hope so. 🙂
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I am. Hopefully more consistently now – will depend on whether or not I can manage to see movies frequently again. 🙂
But I don’t think I’ll be going away permanently for a very long time.
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🙂
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Ta, Josh. 🙂
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Love the eye of the Giraffe the best.
Love them all otherwise.
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Thank you Nuwansen! Looking forward to your upcoming review on the Billy Wilder blogathon. 🙂
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Great, I just got it done today
Link:-
http://nononsensewithnuwansen.wordpress.com/2014/06/20/the-billy-wilder-blogathon-love-in-the-afternoon/
Hope you like it.
NS
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Great post! Giraffe eye my favorite.
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Welcome, JoHanna, and thank you!
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