Shambala Preserve facts for kids
| Date opened | 1972 |
|---|---|
| Location | Acton, California, United States |
| Coordinates | 34°26′25″N 118°15′09″W / 34.440301°N 118.252394°W |
| No. of animals | 65-70 |
Shambala Preserve is a special place for animals, like a safe home or hospital for them. It started in 1972. You can find it in Acton, California, which is a desert town. It's about 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Palmdale and 40 miles (64 km) north of Los Angeles.
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About Shambala Preserve
Shambala Preserve is run by a group called the Roar Foundation. Famous actress Tippi Hedren started this group in 1983. It's a special kind of organization that doesn't make money, so it's called a nonprofit.
Who Lives at Shambala?
Shambala is home to many amazing big cats. These include African lions, Siberian tigers, and Bengal tigers. You can also find leopards, servals, mountain lions, and bobcats there. Other cool animals include a lynx, a Florida panther, and even a liger (which is a mix of a lion and a tiger!). Shambala is a trusted place, approved by the American Sanctuary Association.
Most of the animals at Shambala were born in zoos or circuses. Some were orphans, meaning they lost their parents. Others were given up by people who couldn't care for them anymore. For example, two Bengal tigers named Sabu and Thriller came to Shambala. They used to live with Michael Jackson at his Neverland Valley Ranch.
Caring for the Animals
The animals at Shambala are not wild. They need people to help them with everything. Shambala has expert animal doctors, called veterinarians, who give them the best care. They also get special food from Natural Balance Pet Foods.
People can volunteer at Shambala, but they don't work directly with the big cats. This is to keep everyone safe.
Shambala Preserve was also home to two large African bush elephants, Timbo and Kura. Timbo was a very big male elephant. He was even in Tippi Hedren's movie Roar. Timbo came to the preserve in 1972 and lived to be 48 years old. Kura passed away in 2000 when she was 41.
Who Helps at Shambala?
The person in charge of Shambala right now is Tippi Hedren. Stephen Shultz is the vice-president. Many people help guide Shambala, including famous people like Melanie Griffith (who is Tippi Hedren's daughter) and Lily Tomlin. The animal doctors who help the animals are Jon J. Bernstein, Gay Naditch, and Chris Cauble.
