Tiger World is an animal conservation center dedicated to rescue, rehabilitation, education and preservation of exotic animals. They are open to the public for educational guided tours in Rockwell, NC. We are thankful to Rowan County for welcoming Tiger World to their community. We have received so much support from the people in this area. Tiger World would not want to be anyplace else. We picked up a bag of misc. food for the various animals and Samantha had a pretty good aim for getting the food into the cages. As you will be able to tell, this is no San Diego Zoo, but it was a fun place to spend the day with Samantha and she even got to touch a snake!

An S.C. businesswoman plans to transform the former Charlotte Metro Zoo into "Tiger World," a sanctuary for abandoned and abused exotic animals to open as early as summer. Lea Jaunakais, 31, is investing $1.5 million in the recently shuttered small zoo south of Salisbury to house about 30 tigers, 10 lions, two leopards, a jaguar and about 10 primates and reptiles, including lizards and an anaconda. She wants it to become a premier educational center where the public can watch the big cats in a natural setting.

Each of the animal's pens will feature 14-foot-high chain link fences, with the last 4 feet bent in at about a 45-degree angle. Guides will accompany the public at all times. Security cameras will watch the animals 24 hours a day. There will be no moats because they give the animals "the perception that there is no wall," Jaunakais said. "It gives them the perception that if I want something bad enough, I'm going to jump for it."

Jaunakais hopes her facility will serve as a rescue center for unwanted or abandoned large cats. Many people buy exotic animals, including tigers, for pets, but later realize they can't handle them, she said.