ALBION, Ind. (ADAMS) – Black Pine Animal Sanctuary officially opened on May 4th. Representatives say that there will be lots of exciting, family-friendly, opportunities to support Indiana’s only exotic animal sanctuary this year.
Black Pine released the following upcoming events:
May 16th is Black Pine Animal Sanctuary night at the TinCaps, and the sanctuary will be the featured community organization of the game! Fans 21+ can join in the Thirsty Thursday fun with $2 domestic draft beers and other drink specials. After the game, you can line up to run the bases, just like your favorite TinCaps players! It’s going to be a night filled with fun and excitement!
Follow this link to purchase tickets along the 3rd baseline, as a portion of sales THROUGH THIS LINK ONLY will be donated to Black Pine—gates open at 5:35 pm, first pitch at 7:05 pm vs. the South Bend Cubs.
May 24th kicks off the first of the Hot Summer Nights series at the sanctuary! Sponsored by Three Rivers Federal Credit Union and Andy’s Car Wash, the theme for the evening is: There be Tigers! Guests will be able to purchase $10 general admission tickets and visit the sanctuary from 5pm-8pm. The evening will be CAT THEMED, focusing on the resident cats big and small! This may be your only shot to get a glimpse of the nocturnal animals who call the sanctuary home. You’ll also see some new faces when you visit! Since last year, 5 new animals have come to Black Pine for the REST of their lives.
Whiskey (African Serval) – Male, Age 2
Whiskey became a resident in February. He was surrendered by a private owner when they decided they could no longer keep him in their home. He was not getting along well with the other animals in the house – a domestic cat and a Savannah Cat. The main reason for his surrender was due to his constant urine marking around the home. Urine marking is an appropriate and common behavior in exotic cats. Upon arrival at BPAS, it was discovered that Whiskey loves hiding in huts, shredding cardboard and napping by his windows. In April, he was introduced to long-time resident Josey, another African Serval (female). They are becoming acquainted in their shared space, and they are anticipated to become the best roommates… despite a little hissing back and forth!
Mowgli (Ring-tailed Lemur) – Male, Age 2
Mowgli was also rescued in February. He was confiscated by New Mexico Game and Fish when he was discovered being illegally kept by a private owner. He was not given a proper diet, so despite being 2 years old, he is the size of a 6-9 month old lemur. Mowgli spent some time at the Albuquerque Zoo for holding until he found permanent refuge at BPAS. There, he was quarantined and received a full medical work-up. This allowed BPAS to introduce him to the Primate House as soon as he arrived! At first, he was very overwhelmed by all the animals and sounds in the Primate House, but he warmed up quickly. He now seems to be really enjoying his time in his new forever home. He loves food, and currently his diet has been increased to help him gain weight and muscle. Guests can often find him enjoying his brand-new outdoor space and all of the fun structures provided him!
Marilyn and Julianne (Snow Macaques) – Females, Age 27 and 22, respectively.
Marilyn and Julianne, a mother/daughter duo, came to BPAS from a facility that needed to rehome them. Former breeding females, they were removed from the breeding program due to their age and dominant behaviors.
Prior to their arrival at BPAS, their holding area was strictly inside, with only a small window for them to see outside. The prior facility did not think it provided them with a good quality of life and chose BPAS to be their home for the REST of their lives.
Marilyn and Julianne were quarantined and given full medical exams at the previous facility, so they too could be introduced to the Primate House straight away. They were given some time get used to their surroundings and then were introduced to resident, Tucker!
It only took a few days for them to figure out their own dynamics! Tucker, who was a former “pet”, quickly learned normal primate behaviors and the girls accepted him as part of their troop. They are all protective of one another, and keepers say it has been wonderful to watch their relationships grow.
Marilyn and Julianne are still very timid but are getting more and more comfortable with their new habitat. If you are lucky, you may even get to see one of the girls foraging outside!
Susan (F1 Savannah Cat) – Female, Age 11
The newest resident at the sanctuary is Susan the Savannah! Susan arrived at BPAS at the end of April. She was a previous ambassador animal and used for educational programs. In her previous environment humans were in free contact with her.
Due to the increase in popularity of exotic pets, especially exotic cats, the education team of the facility wanted to change their messaging. They, like BPAS, know that showcasing exotic pets in a “friendly” or “pet-like” manner only further perpetuates the myth that these animals make good pets. To find the best placement for Susan, they reached out to the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance, who then reached out to BPAS.
Susan is very food-motivated! She loves stuffed animals and to shred cardboard and paper…especially when you hide her food inside! Susan is currently in quarantine for a few more weeks, but she will be enjoying her new habitat soon!
Thanks to your support, Black Pine Animal Sanctuary is able to rescue animals like Whiskey, Mowgli, Marilyn, Julianne, Susan, and provide them sanctuary for the REST of their lives! Be sure to visit the sanctuary soon!
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