Tiger Island: The Awesome Pawsome

The Awesome Pawsome is a documentary special that chronicles the first year of four Bengal tiger cubs -- Sita, Rama, Taj and Sultan. Born at Tiger Island at Dreamworld, on Australia's Gold Coast and raised in captivity to help preserve the species, the program captures the unpredictable moments of their infancy, from birth to feeding, living with their handlers, getting their first bath and even meeting dogs, children and learning to be adult tigers.

As a cub, Taj was playful and a good friend of his dad, Mohan. He loved Tiger Cake, and stole his siblings' cake as well! He was small and cuddly, too. (Please excuse the purrs from both Taj's, tigers can't actually purr. They can roar and chuff.)



As an adult, Taj is a proud tiger, being the first white tiger born in Australia. He loves his dad and all of his human/tiger family at Tiger Island.

As a cub, Sultan was energetic and liked pouncing. He was the only normal-colored tiger in the Awesome Pawsome.



As an adult, Sultan lost a lot of fame, being brother to three extraordinary tigers and not being extraordinary himself. He still loves his family and especially his siblings. He is also a talkative cat, and won't leave his feelings unheard!

As a cub, Rama got pounced on a lot by his sister, Sita. They both had a rare light-striped mutation.



As an adult, Rama is still seen by his siblings as a pounce bag, but not as much. His majestic coloring makes him unique and more interesting than Taj!

As a cub, Sita was always treasured. She loved pouncing on Taj and Rama, and loves her family, especially her brothers and father Mohan.



As an adult, she still loves pouncing, though usually not on her brothers. She has more etiquette than when she was a cub, but still basically stays the same. See below for information about her new mate and possible cubs.

Taj: Hi, my name's Taj! I'm a white tiger, the rarest tiger in the world!

Rama: Actually, Taj, you're second to rarest. Light-striped tigers like Sita and I are rarer, right dad?

Mohan: Actually, you're both wrong, Rama. The real rarest is the golden tiger. Though they've got to be rare, and very rare. Taj, did you know that worldwide there are only about 200 white tigers including us?

Taj: Really? I didn't know that. How could we get helped, dad?

Mohan: Actually, humans are helping. They try breeding programs for white tigers, and hope for white tiger cubs from that, like you from Sama and I. Usually, though, a white tiger, light-striped tiger, or golden tiger, wouldn't survive well in it's habitat. It needs the normal coloring for disguise. Luckily, you three little terrors and I live at a zoo, and the zookeepers get us what we need.

Sita: Hey, we're not terrors, right Taj? Right Rama?

Rama and Taj: Yeah, Sita, we're...uh...not, as, uh, educated and proper as you...
{Sita rages at her brothers}
{Rama and Taj scream}
{Sita purrs at her control over them}



Mohan, Rama, Taj and Sultan: Sita, tigers don't purr.

Sita: They don't? I thought they were felines.

Taj: They are, but tigers can only roar and chuff due to the shape of their vocal cords.

Mohan: Good job, Taj, you're telling a lot of facts!

Taj: I'm learning a lot, too!

Sultan: I feel awkward being an only-normal-colored cub. Do you feel weird about your unique coloring being one not as rare as the others, Taj?

Taj: Yeah, it is kinda weird. Bet Rama and Sita don't feel that way. Anyway, back to facts, did you know that most tigers sleep up to 18 hours a day? Also, tigers and jaguars are the only two large cats which like the water.

Mohan: You really are a smart cat!
{Mohan smiles proudly}
{Taj smiles back}

Taj: Tigers are good at jumping, too, and--
Sultan: Well, I can, but you can't so it doesn't count as all tigers.
{Sultan sticks his tongue out at Taj}

Taj: Dad, can tigers jump?

Mohan: Well, lets go watch a tiger and see if it does jump.
{They watch a tiger in real action. It doesn't even hop}



Mohan: That explains your question?

Taj: Oops, sorry Sultan, I guess you're right. But if I'm getting corrected off all the cool stuff, what's the big woop-dee-doo on tigers?

Mohan: Tigers, first of all, are an endangered species. Also, they have stripes acting like a human's fingerprint. No two patterns are the same, though they look similar. Furthermore, at full running speed tigers reach up to 60 kilometers per hour!

Taj: Wow! This should being Mohan's Teaching, you know a lot!

Mohan: Thanks, Taj.

Sita: What about Sumatran Tigers? Does anyone know about them?

Mohan: Share your knowledge, Sita.

Sita: Well, first of all, Sumatran Tigers are the smallest of all tigers. Also, Sumatran Tigers have the darkest colored coat of all tigers.
Furthermore, Sumatran Tigers have broader, black stripes that are more closely spaced. Additionally, though not about Sumatran Tigers, tigers have a white spot on the back of both ears, which looks like eyes. This tricks predators into thinking the tiger is looking at them. This is why they are called 'eye spots'.

Taj: Woah, Sita! You're a genius! How'd you learn all this?
Sita (puffing out her chest): I pay attention to the zookeepers' conversations.

Taj (bored tone): And a big woop-dee-doo for you.
{Sita rages at Taj}
Taj (wide-eyed and hiding behind Mohan): Ah! Daddy, I'm scared!
{Mohan nips Sita}

Mohan: Don't scare your brother, Sita.

Queensland is also the home of none other than Dreamworld's Tiger Island, a permanent display where tigers interact with humans every day. Tiger Island opened in June 1995 with six Bengal tigers: Samara, Jai, Mohan, Rakhan Bakkar and Kyla. Due to relocations and deaths, only two of the original six tigers remain (Mohan and Rakhan).

Two Bengal tiger cubs were brought to Dreamworld in 2001 from Bullen's Wildlife Sanctuary in southern New South Wales. One of these has died and the remaining cub, Kato is now 3 years old and will reach maturity towards the end of 2005. Kato's ancestry is different to that of the park's other cats, 'the awesome pawsome' who were born there in 1998 (Sita, Rama, Taj and Sultan). It is expected that a breeding program between Kato and Sita will begin in late 2005 or 2006.

EASY TIGER CRAFT



You can easily make a mask, by leaving off the eyes and cutting holes. Attach a popsicle stick to the bottom with Gorilla Tape for the child to hold it to their face.

A 350-pound Siberian tiger that mauled an experienced San Francisco Zoo keeper so badly she could lose her arm had no history of violence, prompting an investigation into what led to the vicious attack.

This is the same tiger that escaped its cage attacked three men, killing one a year later. Police shot and killed the tiger.

Big Cats are wild animals, they are not pets. The fact is, tigers, lions, and other big cats are dangerous, volatile, and genetically hard-wired to kill.

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