Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge |
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Where : Seven miles south of Eureka Springs on Arkansas Highway 23 |
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Hours : 9 a . m . to 5 p . m . daily ; last tram tour leaves at 4 p . m . |
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Kiara
African servals , for instance , grow to be bigger than a bobcat , can weigh up to 40 pounds and can leap 12 feet in the air to snatch a bird . They are not social and can kill a small deer , Ms . King explained .
“ You can litter train them like cats , but they will continue to mark their territory about 17 times an hour . These creatures are not meant to be pets .”
When you take one of Turpentine Creek ’ s tram tours , you ’ ll hear that message , along with names and interesting facts about all the animals , as you drive past their large grassy enclosures . Their habitats include shady areas , swimming pools , baths and mist systems in the summer and safe , secluded cement “ night houses ” with straw and blankets in the winter .
These animals come to the refuge after sad beginnings and the goal is to help them remember their true nature and become happy and healthy as they live out their lives here .
“ When you see these cats actually rehabilitate , and their natural instincts return , that ’ s the reward ,” Ms . King said .
Take Emma , for instance ,
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Giselle
who was rescued in March of this year . Emma is a 7-year-old African caracal cat who was living in a basement in Peoria , Illinois . She was taken in by a family trying to save her from a breeder , but found out they couldn ’ t handle her .
Then there is Malcolm , a young bobcat taken out of the wild as a kitten with his two siblings almost two years ago . The siblings died and an Oklahoma wildlife organization tried to rehabilitate Malcolm and release him back into the wild , but the human bond was already too strong . A sanctuary like Turpentine Creek was his only hope of survival .
“ He ’ s gorgeous and has settled in well ,” said Ms . King . “ He still likes humans too much , but we ’ re grateful that Malcolm has us to call his forever home .”
Miz Zuri ( named after the book “ Misery ” by Stephen King ) was a 2-year-old serval cat who was surrendered to Turpentine Creek just a few months ago by a family from Chattanooga , Tennessee . They spayed and microchipped Zuri and tried to make her a family pet . But , as Ms . King said , “ nothing they did could take the wild out of the cat .”
Now , Zuri is thriving in a habitat near other servals , with hopes that she ’ ll join the rest of them some day .
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Since these animals are no longer hunters , companies like Walmart and Tyson Foods , along with local farmers , donate much of the meat and animal products they eat … between 800 and 1,200 pounds of raw meat every day !
“ We are so thankful for the support and the opportunity to give these cats a forever home ,” Ms . King said . “ These are majestic predators , and we need to respect them for the beautiful creatures they are .”
Make a trip to Turpentine Creek for an unforgettable animal experience . You can even spend the night here in one of their “ safari suites ,” tree houses , tents or RV spaces .
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Bobby Bobcat |
Admission : Tour prices are $ 32 for ages 20 and up ; $ 20 for teens ; $ 15 for children ages 4-12 and senior citizens ages 65-plus .
For more information , call 479-253-5841 or visit www . turpentinecreek . org
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