Did you know that the world is running out of tigers? You probably do. I mean it isn’t exactly a secret. People have been talking about it for years. But do you really, really know what that means? It doesn’t just mean that there are fewer than there used to be. It means that it won’t be much longer before the only tigers left alive will be those that have been born in captivity. There will soon be a time in which there won’t be one single tiger that knows what it’s like to live free, without being restricted by fences, walls and bars. As it stands now, out of eight sub-species of tigers that once existed on the planet there are only five that still exist: Bengal, Chinese, Indo-Chinese, Siberian, and Sumatran.

Why are they disappearing? What could be happening to all of these beautiful creatures? They’re being murdered by people. Consider the dichotomy that exists in tropical Asia where the tiger is actually revered. Since the tiger is thought to be the supreme symbol of power and cunning, a vast feline pharmacopoeia has resulted in organized tiger poaching in order to obtain their body parts for the following "cures":

1. The tail is ground and mixed with soap as an ointment for skin diseases; the bones from the tip of the tail ward off evil.

2. Crushed tiger bone added to wine is an old Taiwanese general tonic.

3. Sitting on a tiger skin rug cures fevers caused by ghosts.

4. Gallstones added to honey can be applied to abscesses on hands and feet, or to the eyes to prevent persistent watering.

5. The hair can be burned to drive away centipedes.

6. Mix the tiger's brain with oil and rub it on your body to cure laziness and acne.

7. Eyeballs rolled into pills are a sure cure for convulsions.

8. Eating the meat of a tiger will make a person immune to snakebite.

9. Tiger whiskers can be kept as a charm to protect against bullets and to give courage.

10. Tiger claws can be carried or worn to give courage, and protection from sudden fright.

11. Eat the heart of a tiger to acquire strength, courage and cunning.

12. The floating ribs should be carried as a good luck talisman.

13. To prevent a child from having convulsions, remove the small bones of the feet and tie them to the child's wrists.

14. Tiger penises are often considered effective aphrodisiacs by aging Chinese gentlemen. Demand is so strong a thriving counterfeit tiger penis market has sprung up (made in Hong Kong from ox and deer tendons).

Currently there are fewer than 3,000 tigers in the wild. Not only have poachers taken their toll on the population but, according to experts, inbreeding will eventually compromise the gene pool in the conservation parks that try and protect them.

William Pottorff, Founder and Senior Curator of Cedar Cove Feline Conservation Park in Louisburg, KS, witnessed these horrific practices while serving in Vietnam in the ‘60s and was deeply disturbed by the products he witnessed for sale in the local marketplaces. He also developed an enormous passion for both the cats and the idea of saving them.

He returned from Vietnam to his hometown of Louisburg, KS and began learning about big cats. He received no formal education in the field, but taught himself everything there is to know about the behavior of tigers and other large cats as well as how to care for them. He’s been working with the cats for 26 years now and is indeed an expert on the subject. If you don’t believe me, go check out the seven tigers (2 Siberian and 5 Bengal), three cougars, two leopards, one bobcat and one caracal in his care. That’s right, fourteen in all. All magnificently beautiful and almost close enough to touch – but not quite (all of the cats were born in captivity except the bobcat that was rescued as a baby after its mother was killed). William will be glad to impart as much knowledge as you have time to hear while you’re there.

Pottorff began his endeavor to care for wildlife after his two tours in Vietnam, and started with wolves and raccoons. His experience with the cats didn’t actually begin until the early ‘80s when he met Betty Young who had a wild cat sanctuary in Arkansas. His love and gratitude for the cats is what drives him to devote every minute and every dime to their care and to the education of anyone who will listen. “There’s nothing else like it,” William tells us.

Cedar Cove opened in 2000 and is run solely by volunteers and through donations. The volunteers at the Park spend all of their free time there because of their love of the cats as well. William says, “The volunteers at Cedar Cove came because of an interest in the cats and stay because of the sense of responsibility for the cats that eventually develops.”

What does it take to run the place? Well, it’s simple … man-hours and meat. The tigers alone each eat 30-50 lbs. of meat every few days. Pottorff feeds them that way because that is closer to the way they would feed themselves in the wild.

Finding volunteers may actually be more difficult than finding the meat. William tells us that he finds volunteers are often disappointed when they show up to help and find that they can’t go work directly with the cats. It takes a long time and a lot of training before someone is ready to work with the cats. There are lots of jobs that need doing and Cedar Cove welcomes anyone with the expertise or just sheer dedication to help with things from grant writing to general maintenance to painting to cleaning to repairs, etc. There is never a shortage of things to do, that’s for sure.

There are only a very few volunteers that deal with the cats directly, but there is no doubt that every single one of those cats holds a special affection for Pottorff. When he’s around they keep their gaze directly on him and when he’s near you notice how they respond, especially to his voice, even from a distance. They even come to William when called by name, just as if they were his own housecats. When we visited Cedar Cove for the first time there were two tigers, Leonard & Pauline, out in the “yard” having some time out of their cages. They noticed us briefly and went on about their business for the most part. That is, until William came to walk along the fence with us. They came right up to it and walked alongside of us the rest of the way. It was as if he had them on an invisible leash. They just wanted to be near him.

Don’t think for a minute, however, that Pottorff thinks of them as pets. He knows very well they’re wild, and although he can interact with them in a way most cannot, the cats dictate what they will tolerate. He is always well aware of their wild nature and maintains a healthy respect and distance when they require it.

For more information on Cedar Cove, the cats, visiting hours, how to get there, how to help or anything else, go to www.saveoursiberians.com or call (913) 837-5515.