I have lived much of my life in East Texas, and like many other Tylerites, have been known to complain now and again about the lack of general interest, attractions in our area. But after spending the first month or so of my summer break writing about the things to do here, I may have to eat my words. The more I look around, I’m finding far more entertaining and educational opportunities in our area about which to write than I ever expected. One such is the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWF) on highway 14 north of Tyler State Park.
In 1995 the Tiger Missing Link Foundation was established. The not for profit organization was formed for the purpose of raising funds to open the Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge, as well as conducting scientific research aimed at preserving endangered tigers. The founders of the park have owned and operated it for fifteen years, even living in very primitive circumstances and making great personal sacrifices in order to build the park into the model it is today. In the last ten years the refuge has been featured in nearly every major newspaper in the country. It has also been the subject of programming on the Animal Planet and Discovery Channel.
The Tiger Creek Wildlife Refuge provides a home to displaced and mistreated cats of all varieties. The Refuge now consists of more than twenty acres of land and has more than forty rescued animals including: bobcats, leopards, cougars, numerous varieties of tiger, and lions. The park is open to the general public six days a week from ten in the morning to five in the afternoon. Entrance fees are reasonable and of course all proceeds go either to the refuge itself, or to rescue big cats in need of a good home. There is also an intern program where students can learn about animal care, dietary preparation and training. The interns duties involve cleaning facilities, conducting guided tours, and speaking to visiting school children. The program is accredited and the park partners with colleges and universities to extend credits to participants.
If you’re looking for an exciting and educational visit for the kids this summer, check out this unique Tyler area stop. For more information on the TCWF visit their website at www.tigercreek.org. To learn more about the research conducted by the Tiger Missing Link Foundation, check out their web site as well at www.tigerlink.org.