History
Raj (aka Rajaji), formerly "Rajah" of the Triangle Metro Zoo, joined the CPT pride on December 10, 2006. Raj's life at CPT started with a little stalk-and-pounce, stick-chewing, and tree scratching in a private enclosure in the back of the compound. Because CPT already had a tiger named Rajah, Raj's official name is "Rajaji", an Indian way of indicating that Raj is "Rajah the Elder". (Raj is 7 years older than Rajah)
Raj is now the first tiger to greet CPT's tour guests, and he's happy to soak up the attention! He loves his view of all the activity from his enclosure and also gets to flirt with the girls next door (Mona and Moki). Unfortunately, they don't seem as happy to see him as he is to see them. He often puts on a show for tour guests- spraying guests, talking some tiger talk, or, as seen in this video, playing with his ball.
For the first two years of Raj's life, he belonged to a private owner in Virginia. He was kept in a very small area and did not receive adequate nutrition for a growing cub, which may be why he is rather small for a male tiger. Triangle Metro Zoo owner Larry Seibel rescued the young tiger and nursed him back to health. He became a zoo favorite for the next 7 years. The Triangle Metro Zoo closed in 2006, and Mr. Seibel hoped to find a home that would offer Raj a good life. Enter CPT- Raj would have more space, excellent care, and a bright future.
Raj's story fits that of many captive tigers. Often tiger cubs are bred for photo opportunites, and when they become too big, are sold to uninformed owners as pets. When they become too difficult to manage- they are passed on to whomever will have them. This may be private zoos like Raj's or one of many sanctuaries with varying standards of care. Even well-intentioned sanctuaries can easily find themselves overburdened by too many animals, and are forced to reduce their standards of care or close: euthanizing their animals or relocating them to another facility where the cycle recurs.
With decades of experience, and multiple generations of rescued animals, CPT is a big cat's golden opportunity for a secure, stable life- and Raj will live out his days in comfort, sharing his story with the community to make a difference.
Raj's story fits that of many captive tigers. Often tiger cubs are bred for photo opportunites, and when they become too big, are sold to uninformed owners as pets. When they become too difficult to manage- they are passed on to whomever will have them. This may be private zoos like Raj's or one of many sanctuaries with varying standards of care. Even well-intentioned sanctuaries can easily find themselves overburdened by too many animals, and are forced to reduce their standards of care or close: euthanizing their animals or relocating them to another facility where the cycle recurs.