The cats of Vegas

[summer_jackel]

Here are the not so wilderness photos from my recent trip. Vegas is emphatically not my kind of place, but I do have to admit that it's entertaining...Cirque Du Soleil is always incredible (we saw Zumanity and Mystere) being some of the most physically beautiful things I've ever seen people do. There are lions, white lions and tigers, and a pretty good aquarium in various places as well. All of the animals seem about as well cared for as big cats in captivity can be, so it was lovely to see them.

I want to hug and pet a white lion and bury my face in his pretty mane. Yes, I'm aware of probable consequences of that.




White tigers are certainly lovely, and while all of our captive ones result from the intensive linebreeding necessary to fix a recessive trait in any animal, they apparently were reasonably common in the wild once upon a time, when the wild tiger population was healthy. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_tiger) What we've essentially done is began domestication of the tiger, and as long as they are well cared for, I don't think that's a bad thing...what people see, they can better appreciate and love. I do love these soft, tame tigers and I vastly enjoy seeing them, but the condition of the wild population is harrowing and far more important. I do hope that these do not become the world's only tigers.



This pretty guy has both the white and stripeless gene. Apparently the stripeless gene without the white gene is the 'golden tabby' tiger. Sadly, I have never seen one. This is also my best photo of the set, I think; the zoom will take pics through the fencing in certain light, but it's difficult.





Yawn!




And the photo that no noble, majestic cat ever wants you to see...


Pretty beasts.






This one has neat, funky striping


A pair of 8 month old cubs, playing. awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww kitten


zoom


Waiting to pounce


gotcha!


The white lions, originally from a localized population in the Greater Timbavati and southern Kruger Park region of South Africa, sadly extinct in the wild. This is of course due to humans, not any failure of the lions to thrive due to their (genetically unexplained, apparently) coloration.




This pretty guy was very active, running around, spraying and roaring.


A lovely little Asiatic leopard.


The Mirage, where the white lions and tigers are, has some pretty Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins, too.


Three generations of females and two boys share three large pools on display, and presumably others offstage.


Winged lion statue in front of one of the ridiculous Vegas hotels. I rather like it


Vegas


The view from my window


The MGM grand


Lion exhibit _inside_ the hotel




Bitsy baby cubs...


Mandalay Bay has a very nice aquarium, which hosted this lovely Indonesian Spotted Whiptail ray


Komodo dragon!!!!


Golden crocodile


Lionfish portraits




Rum slushie and desert sky. It was quite a trip. I'm glad to be home.

Comments

[genmaicha.livejournal.com]

Oh, that white and stripeless tiger is definitely gorgeous.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

Isn't he just, though? One of the prettiest big cats I think I've ever seen! So soft, and that little pink nose. Kitty.

[chipuni.livejournal.com]

Those pictures are beautiful!

Thank you for sharing them.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome! I'm glad you liked them. Those tigers are so gorgeous.

[tinygalaxies.livejournal.com]

I really enjoyed the aquarium at Mandalay Bay. We're going to see the tigers at the Mirage when we go in April. I can't wait!

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

The tigers are the best part of Vegas. Rum slushie, to be had at the same hotel, isn't bad either. ;)

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting these!

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked them! Tigers are just so beautiful. That one extra-pretty stripeless white just stole my heart.

[stoda.livejournal.com]

Just one more reason why gryphons are awesome... those catparts. :>

And yeah... the temptation to massively snuggle is great, though the knowledge of the concequences... especially given that gape-maw-yawn... are very evident.

Ooooh, rum slushie! *pounce*

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

hee, yes, the catbits are half the awesome of a gryphon! Although the one that I'm sketching around these days is, predictably, canine-based. a scruffy little griff to be sure.

I think the gape-maw yawn is cute and snuggleable!

And yeah. Rum slushie, that was a thing. Yum.

[zrath.livejournal.com]

KITTIES!!!
Wow, that white tiger is gorgeous!
And so is the white lion.
I see you stayed at the Excalibur. :)
It's been a long time since I've been to Vegas. ("How long has it been?!?!")
It's been so long that the Excalibur was a hot new just-opened hotel! :D
Actually, I did go to Vegas later, in 1991, for CES.
But yeah, that's almost 20 years!!
I'll be going to Vegas soon.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

I love the kitties. They're just so beautiful and splendid.

Yep, the Excalibur. 20 years sounds about the right increment of time between Vegas trips to me! Although I'd totally go again soon for a look at the other 2 Cirque shows I haven't seen.

Still, if you go, don't miss the lions and tigers (at the MGM Grand and Mirage, respectively).

[kynekh-amagire.livejournal.com]

Wow, you got some great tiger shots. Although tigers are kinda photogenic, it's true -- great shots of lionfish are a little more impressive. DO NOT PET ME, says the lionfish.

'Kay, I'll go snuggle the big gay white lions and consequences be damned.

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

It is true; the lionfish are not for petting. They were not, in fact, in the touch pool (though that would have been funny...)

The big soft gay white lions manifestly ARE, though. How could anything so big and floofy and luxuriously soft not be for petting? I ask you. Clearly, this is how the world works. What are a few minor consequences?

While I'm at it, I'll hug that big soft pale tiger, too.

[eclipsegryph.livejournal.com]

Those are some really amazing pictures. And I'm rather inclined to agree with Stormy about what he said about the kitties. :p

And that's a great picture of the winged lion. Oh I love that sort of statuary! Thank you so much for sharing these pictures with us!

[summer-jackel.livejournal.com]

hehh, you gryphons and your feline halves. I'll have to show you my sketch of a coyote/harrier gryphon if I ever finish it.

I have a bit of a thing for neat statuary, and Vegas, as it happens, has some good stuff. Those winged lions are the best, though.

[larylich.livejournal.com]

They are full of meows! I'd be highly tempted to squeeze them.