The man who bred 120 tigers in rural Lincolnshire

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-li ... e-24387281

The man who bred 120 tigers in rural Lincolnshire

Following the birth of the first tiger at London Zoo in 17 years, a former circus owner talks about his life breeding tigers in rural Lincolnshire.

At the height of his career in the 1970s, Martin Lacey was known as the "man that fear forgot" - being the only one to put his head inside a lion's mouth.

That was just part of his work to run the now-closed Great British Circus, which has also included breeding more than 120 tigers at his home in Keal Cotes.

Now aged in his 70s, Mr Lacey plans to retire, with most of the tigers will now go to his sons' circus in Germany.

His work has included starring in the children's TV show Magpie and training some of the tigers used in the Esso adverts.

He said he had enjoyed a fantastic career and "had certainly done his bit" to help with tiger conservation.

"This year we've had 12 cubs in Lincolnshire and 12 in Germany," he said.

"Most will go to my sons' circus, but we are able to let any surplus go to zoological gardens, which reduces the need to bring in any animals from the wild.

"We are definitely doing well in the conservation stakes - we also bred reindeer here this year, and that's not easy."

However, changes in public attitudes to performing animals mean he has faced criticism in recent years.

The UK government has announced that a ban prohibiting the use of wild animals in circuses in Britain would come into effect in 2015.

Under the terms of the draft Wild Animals in Circuses Bill, the ban will cover any creature not normally domesticated in Britain.

The RSPCA said public opinion has been against the practice for some time because "lions and tigers performing do not have a place in today's society."

However, Mr Lacey says his tigers enjoy the highest standards of care and described the animal's time in the circus ring as "organised play".

"They run and jump - just as they would in the wild," he said.

"I believe there is a mass of support for animals in entertainment and people should have the freedom of choice - you can only watch so many jugglers before it gets a bit boring.

"We are breeding them specifically for work and are looking for intelligent animals.

"Just as some strains of Alsatian look fantastic but are a little bit thick - our animals have to be intelligent and look good as well."

(continued)

[tattuchu]

He bred them himself?

[Hermit]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-li ... e-24387281

you can only watch so many jugglers before it gets a bit boring.

Really? Give me the offerings of Cirque du Soleil over animals jumping through hoops any day.

[cronus]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-li ... e-24387281

you can only watch so many jugglers before it gets a bit boring.

Really? Give me the offerings of Cirque du Soleil over animals jumping through hoops any day.

Depends on what the jugglers be juggling?

[mistermack]

From a point of view of conservation, one genuine Sumatran tiger is worth more than dozens of the cross-bred mongrels that most circuses breed.
And breeding for white tigers is particularly odious, you have to throw away a high percentage that are born with birth defects. And for what? Just an unusual colour. What the fuck is so special about white?

If circuses were actually breeding to conserve sub-species, and protect the gene pool, I would say that it was worthwhile.
Maybe they do now, but they never used to.

It's the same with owners of private zoos, they claim that they are helping to preserve the species, and then they go and cross Bengals with Siberians. It's pure bollocks.

Having said that, I've got nothing against circuses having performing animals. They are pretty dreary without them, unless you are entertained by elaborate costumes, which I ain't.

[cronus]

No one complains about breeding chickens for specific traits like muscle that way?

[Warren Dew]

It's the same with owners of private zoos, they claim that they are helping to preserve the species, and then they go and cross Bengals with Siberians. It's pure bollocks.

Preserving the species is different from preserving all the subspecies.

[mistermack]

No one complains about breeding chickens for specific traits like muscle that way?

It doesn't bother me. The original jungle fowl are still about, living wild in the forests of Asia.

[mistermack]

Preserving the species is different from preserving all the subspecies.

Not to me. The species consists of several subspecies.
If you mix them all up, it's not what I would call preserving. You're drastically changing it.

[cronus]

Preserving the species is different from preserving all the subspecies.

Not to me. The species consists of several subspecies.
If you mix them all up, it's not what I would call preserving. You're drastically changing it.

Does it matter? It isn't like the tigers complain?

[mistermack]

Does it matter? It isn't like the tigers complain?

Not to you, I'm sure. But then, if we all died tomorrow, nobody would complain. You would probably celebrate. If you could.

[laklak]

Preserving the species is different from preserving all the subspecies.

Not to me. The species consists of several subspecies.
If you mix them all up, it's not what I would call preserving. You're drastically changing it.

You sound like Tyrannical talking about mixed-race marriages.

[cronus]

Preserving the species is different from preserving all the subspecies.

Not to me. The species consists of several subspecies.
If you mix them all up, it's not what I would call preserving. You're drastically changing it.

You sound like Tyrannical talking about mixed-race marriages.

I wish I had said that. It was on the tip of my tongue.