Exotic Feline Rescue Center facts for kids
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The Exotic Feline Rescue Center (EFRC) is a special place in Center Point, Indiana, that helps big cats. It was started in 1991 to give a safe home to wild cats that need help. The EFRC takes care of many different kinds of exotic cats, making sure they have a good life.
About the EFRC
The EFRC is a charity, which means it's a non-profit organization. It helps ten different kinds of exotic cats. These include amazing animals like lions, tigers, leopards, and pumas. They also care for smaller wild cats such as servals, bobcats, Canada lynx, ocelots, Geoffroy's cat, and Asian leopard cats.
The EFRC is one of the biggest rescue centers for big cats in the United States. It gives a permanent home to non-domestic cats. These are cats that might have been hurt, left alone, or didn't have a proper place to live. The center never buys, sells, or breeds animals. Their main goal is to provide a safe and caring environment.
The cats at the EFRC live on a huge property, covering more than 200 acres (about 0.8 square kilometers). They get special care from veterinarians at an on-site clinic. The EFRC also teaches people about these incredible animals and why it's important to protect them.
The work of the EFRC has been featured in books and movies. Books like Saving the Big Cats (2006) and Tails From the Exotic Feline Rescue Center (2016) tell stories about the center. It was also shown in the 2009 movie The Tiger Next Door and a TV documentary.
Research at the Center
Scientists sometimes visit the EFRC to learn more about big cats. From 2008 to 2009, Dr. Susan Linville and Dr. Helena Sioni from Indiana University studied lions, tigers, cougars, and leopards. They wanted to understand how these cats rub against things and if they leave behind special scents called pheromones.
In 2009, veterinarians from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign also did important research. They studied how to safely give tigers medicine to make them sleep for check-ups. This helps make sure the tigers are safe during medical procedures. During these check-ups, eye doctors also looked at the tigers' eyes. They gathered information to understand what is normal for tiger eyes. This helps them treat eye problems in tigers better.
Dentists from The Peter Emily International Veterinary Dental Foundation also checked the tigers' teeth. They looked for any dental problems and provided free dental care if needed. All this research helps improve the health and care of tigers, both at the EFRC and around the world.
Internship Opportunities
The EFRC offers special programs for college students. These programs are called internships. Students can come and learn about caring for exotic felines. Students from Indiana University can even earn college credit for their work at the center.
