Yesterday was the first day of food preparation for me and another intern. We learned the art of cutting a chicken leg off of the thigh and cutting the beef into the correct size for feeding. We also started learning the medicine dosage procedures for the cats with health issues. We then found out the internet couldnt be used for the day because someone had downloaded something and screwed up the wireless so i am writing yesterday's blog today. After we finished preparing 4 large buckets of chicken, beef, and hearts we went to help a keeper move logs (full trees) next to enclosures before the other 2 interns got the rest of the day off. After lunch we cleaned 2 small in-ground "pools" for 2 of the bungalows. Then we dug holes for the pools and put them in the ground....digging is difficult....I stood on the shovel and jumped up and down. We got 1 pool in and filled in the holes around the sides and made a slight incline up to the edge of the pool for the cats. While putting the pool in the cats were very interested and some even sat inside the pool while we added dirt. Then we filled the pool up and the cats became less interested except for one of my favorites hilo the savannah...he is a cross between a serval and a domestic. We put some toys in the pool and he was trying to get them out. Then we were called to the back of the facility with our hoses to help fill up a tigers pool. While we were down there we moved the "logs" inside the enclosures...which is much harder with only 3 people and trying to get them between the double doors which are not in front of each other. One tree we had to get in one door and stand it all the way up to be able to shimmy it over to the right to the next door....it ended up landing on my shoulder...and now my bone hurts. After getting trees into the enclosures we went back up and dug the 2nd pool hole and put the pool in. Later in the afternoon we got to go with a keeper and watch her feed the servals/siberian lynx.
Today 2 of the interns were off so we did food prep and one of the keepers cleaned the bungalows for us. After food prep we went with the keeper and helped feed the servals/siberian lynx and then once everyone had eaten we cleaned the outside enclosures and gave out enrichment (paper bags with spices). I have to learn 16 serval names and be able to tell them apart by next friday and also the lynx in the group. After that we got rid of a dirt pile from digging the hole for the pool and then took litter boxes out of the bungalows because they are trying to get the hybrid cats to go outside to go to the bathroom. Then after lunch we were supposed to dig a larger hole for a pool in the serval enclosure but the keeper tried and said the ground was too hard so we mowed the outside area of the compound for the bobcat areas. I then spread tick remover and had to wear a mask because it happens to be carcinogenic. I then went to go help dig another hole for a pool, but the keeper called us in to tell us we were going to pick up the meat tomorrow in Wisconsin....so there and back is an 8 hour drive...in a 15 passenger van with a tiger on the side. We did evening rounds and finished digging the hole for the pool and filled dirt in the holes and around the sides....i also jumped on the shovel and then fell onto boulders and scraped my arm. We cleaned the prep room and took out the trash. Then we went to the store as a group and got subway...yum
On to the next day...and Wisconsin
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