Rescuing Tigers and Kangaroos

Tigers are one of the most endangered species on the planet.  Tigers are known as the largest members of the cat family.  They are strong and majestic creatures.  About five years ago, I was given the opportunity of a lifetime.  I was asked to rescue tiger cubs and kangaroos through a sanctuary located in Florida.  Many of these endangered animals are abandoned and live in horrible conditions.  I was very motivated and eager to learn.  In addition, I rescued two beautiful Bengal tiger cubs, Tasha and Stripes.  The two tiger cubs were abandoned by their mother and were a few days away from death.  They were about a month old and needed special attention and medical care.  I spent many sleepless nights feeding them from a bottle and learned many different techniques to meet their needs.  I learned that it was very important to use the correct sized nipples for the cubs and to feed them with the bottle at an angle.  This prevented the cubs from drinking the bottle too fast and getting milk into their lungs.  One of the tigers, Tasha, was very unique because she enjoyed holding the bottle with her paws and drinking it until she was finished.  On the other hand, Stripes required a lot of patience.  She was very playful and took a longer time to feed.  A month later, the cubs reached a healthy weight and were ready to be sent to their new home in Florida.  Although I was happy that I helped the tigers, I was very sad to say good-bye.  I really enjoyed this experience and learned a great deal of information about these endangered species.  Also, I hope to rescue other animals in the near future.    

Vocabulary

1. endangered- threaten with extinction 

2. species- a group of closely related organisms that are very similar to each other

3. rescue- save

4. Tiger- a very large solitary cat

5. sanctuary- a sacred place

6. abandoned- deserted

7. cub- the young of certain animals 

8. feed- to give food

9. prevented- to keep from occurring 

Vocabulary Exercise: Define the following words

1. rescue:  ___________________________

2. Tiger:    ___________________________

3. endangered: ________________________

4. sanctuary: __________________________

5. feed: ______________________________

6. abandoned: _________________________

7. cub: _______________________________

8. species: ____________________________

9. prevented: __________________________

Grammar Point: Nouns are words that describe people, places, things and ideas.  There are two types of nouns- proper nouns and count nouns. Proper nouns name a person, place or thing.  For instance, Laura, Juan and Outback Steakhouse.  Count nouns are nouns that are countable (ex: cubs). 

Grammar Exercise: In the reading above, there are several nouns. Write a list of 10 proper nouns and 10 count nouns.  You may use some of the nouns above however, you must include at least 4 of your own nouns. 

Proper Nouns                                                    Count Nouns

1. Florida                                                           1. cubs