Revision 2, Exercise E, page 163.0:00
Enthusiastic animal lovers have often been described as passionate about their animals.0:05
But what if the animal you love and care for can kill you at any moment?0:11
That's a risk that Derek Brenner is willing to take as a man who has dedicated his life to training and caring for wild cats such as lions and tigers.0:16
Derek joins us today to tell us about his cat ranch and his love for these beautiful but dangerous creatures.0:27
I've loved cats since I was a child.0:37
They are very complex and intelligent animals.0:40
At the moment, I have 15 wild cats that are free to roam on my ranch, except when we have visitors or on days when we have shows.0:43
The shows are designed to educate people about the cats.0:53
My aim in the long run is to take many of these cats, most of whom were born in captivity, to wildlife sanctuaries in India that focus on preservation and repopulation of the cats.0:57
As a trainer, Derek, how do you get the cats to cooperate?1:09
Well, it is not like in the old days when fear was used to get a lion to obey.1:13
Yes, we have all seen this image of a lion tamer in front of a lion with a whip and a chair.1:18
Yes, but the chair was not used to scare the lion, but to confuse and divert the lion from thinking about attacking the trainer.1:25
Today, such props are no longer needed because training is based on rewards and positive reinforcement.1:33
But true success lies in the connection between the trainer and the cat.1:40
A strong bond is essential.1:44
You must really know all your cats well.1:48
Each has its own distinct personality.1:52
When I first became interested in working with wild cats, I got a job as a backup trainer at a wild cat show.1:55
Here I supported the trainer by dealing with all distractions.2:02
My job was to deal with the crowd, props, and any problem that might occur.2:06
Everything but the cats.2:11
It was here that I learned that nothing should interfere with the communication between the trainer and his cats.2:13
The trainer must be focused solely on the cats.2:20
Are certain types of wild cats easier to work with than others?2:24
Well, tigers are quick to learn and stable creatures compared to other big cats.2:28
When they greet you, they make a sound called a chuff.2:33
They are my favourites to work with because they are a lot of fun.2:38
Are they really the kings of the jungle?2:44
They certainly are magnificent animals.2:47
Lions are the only true social cats.2:50
They are the most emotional of all cats in that the males can have instant mood swings.2:52
One minute they are happy and relaxed and the next minute they want to kill you over a spot in the grass.2:58
They are definitely a challenge to get along with.3:04
It sounds dangerous and tricky to work with such animals.3:07
Training and caring for wild animals requires a lot of experience.3:12
So what do you think of the idea of keeping wild animals as pets?3:17
I don't think that is a good idea.3:21
Besides the dangers of caring for wild animals, most often wild animals that are kept as pets are mistreated.3:24
Poorly fed, and often abandoned.3:31
If you appreciate and want to help wild animals, there are many conservation and educational programs that one can get involved in that can really help these animals.3:34
Thanks, Derek, for introducing us to the world of wild cats, and we hope to have you back soon to tell us more about these amazing animals.3:45
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