, 1888-03-09
TANNING SAVAGE ANIMALS.


How Cruelty, Skill and Science Arc Com
bined to Subdue wild Beasts.
The king of beasts when conquered is
like q lamb, and the young lions are
trained one at a time. For several days
the animal is well fed. He is tempted
to thrust his forepaws out in front Of the
den. Over them is slipped q moose, and
the feet are then firmly tied down. The
lion at once begins to roar and thrash his
tail and hind legs about the cage. After
a time he quiets down and the keeper en-
tiers the den. With q dexterous move
ment the bag is drawn over the lions
head. The keeper sometimes bestrideS
his back n holds his seat by tightening
his legs around the body and grasping
the name of the animal. In the head
covering is usually a sponge, saturated
with about eight ounces of chloroform.
The lion will try to shake off b ekeeper,
but is powerless when his fore paws are
tied down. In n moment or W. the
beast becomes unconscious. Other train
ers then enter the den. Great attention
and care are exercised over the pulsations
of the lions heart. The pulse is felt
under the lower jaw the same as in n
horse. 1t is dangerous to etherize OF
chloroform an animal of the cat species
too severely, and the instant the pulsa-
tions become at all feeble the dose has to
be lightened.
When the keeper becomes satisfied
that the animal is unconscious, they be-
gin operations on his teeth. The can
ines, bicuspids and incisors are cut off. 1t
requires great dexterity to know how far
in the crown to cut without laying the
nerve bare. After the operations ON the
teeth are finished, the keeper clips the
claws, and in a few moments the lion is
bereft of his teeth and claws. A heavy
collar and chain are fastened around his
neck, and when he comes to conscious
ness he is n very different beast than
before.
The keepers will enter the cage at
short intervals after this, and, should the
lion attempt TO spring, the chain retards
him, and the keeper 1t once administers
a sharp rap with q rawhide whip. The
lion deprived of his teeth and claws soon
becomes cowardly, He is kept well fed,
and, if too ~ferociors, is drugged until he
becomes used to his keepers presence in
the cage.
Tigers are more difficult to conquer
Their teeth and claws are cut off in a
similar manner 10 those of the lion.
Tigers are more treacherous, and will
spring at n keeper unexpectedly and
without any warning whatever. They
are drugged and kept chained for a long
time and often logged into submission.
Leopards and panthers are easily
tanned. With the wolf and the hyena
the keepers fear only the teeth. They
arc 'dog footed" and do not strike like
a cat animal. Their teeth are cut and a
good club will do the rest.
The operation upon the long tusks of
the baboon is 80 painful and apparently
30 inhuman as to call for q humane 80
ciety's interference. The keepers will
securc a baboon's paws and legs and
draw the creature close up to the oars of
his cage. The head will be tied also.
After he is made fast his long tusks are
sawed off. The baboon is subject to
tootache and his teeth extremely sensi-
tive. When the saw cuts through the
nerve the poor beast will utter the most
piercing shrieks and bowls. To allay the
pain, ~toothache drops of oil of cloves, oil
of cajuput and chloroform are poured in
thet teeth and tar rubbed on to keep out
the air.
After the operation is over, the keeper
retreats, the fastenings are removed and
the baboon allowed to recover. After
such an operation the baboon seldom
shows a disposition to attack a man. 1t
is, therefore, not SO wonderful, after all,
that the man eaters and all sorts of car
nivorous animals are paraded through
the streets with keepers among them.
Timid people should take heart and re-
member that animals clipped, drugged
and chained in cages are not possessed Of
such ferocious instincts as those of their
native wilds. Cor. Globe-Democrat.