Life with Dylan

Category: Tiger Trail

  • Breakfast with the Tigers? Yes please!

    Imagine walking along a bamboo lined pathway in the quiet of the morning. You hear faint animal calls off in the distance and the moist dew in the air feels cool on your face. As you round the corner, you see green foliage resembling the lush tropical forest of Sumatra. Then out of the trees comes not one tiger, but two tigers, ready to welcome you to their home. It’s as if they are saying, “Welcome, come in and join us for breakfast.”

    Well, that is exactly what they are saying. Last Saturday, Dylan and I had the pleasure of being some of the first guests to have breakfast with the Safari Park’s Sumatran tigers, and it was magical. If you thought sipping coffee on a tropical beach was relaxing, then you need to try it with the tigers. Sitting at a table sharing good food, my morning coffee, and friendly conversations with others was nothing short of blissful for me. Why you ask?

    What makes this so special you ask?

    Well, because it isn’t every day that a tiger is roaming just a few feet away from you while you sip coffee and eat your breakfast. This new experience, Breakfast with the Tigers, is being offered as part of the Summer Safari Asian Celebration.

    Every Saturday, from June 28 through August 16, you are invited to have breakfast with the tigers before the park opens to the public. Held in the Tull Family Tiger Trail’s Sambutan Longhouse from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m., the new dining experience gives guests a chance to see the tigers interacting with keepers and exploring their habitats filled with enrichment items.

    The traditional American breakfast buffet includes eggs, bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes, pancakes, fresh fruit, cereal, assorted pastries, coffee, tea, juice, and water.

    There is something for everyone and remember, it is a buffet so you can go back for more!

        

    Not only does this new dining experience allow you to enjoy your breakfast in a tropical Sumatran setting, but you also have the opportunity to speak with tiger keepers, who are walking around during breakfast to share stories and answer any questions you may have about the tigers. The keepers will also invite one of the six Sumatran tigers to the interactive wall to demonstrate what goes on during a training session.
    What I enjoyed most about having breakfast with the tigers was the intimate setting. I was told that only 50 tickets are sold for each Saturday dining experience, so you won’t have an issue with crowds. When breakfast is over, you can continue exploring Tiger Trail for about 20 minutes before the general public starts arriving.  

    Tickets are $45 for Breakfast with the Tigers – Admission is separate and required for non-members, but may be added at checkout.

    Come, join the tigers for an experience you will never forget. Teddy sends his personal invitation and recommends the pancakes. He says the syrup is lip-smacking good!

  • Exploring Tiger Trail and Becoming One with the Tigers

    Tigers are breathtaking, captivating, elusive, powerful, and mysterious. They have taken over my world and I could not be happier!

    Twelve days ago I saw Tiger Trail for the first time when my son and I attended a special donor preview event on May 22. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I did know that we would see tigers like never before.

    The anticipation mounted as we walked along the pathway lined with wooden posts. We had been down this path so many times over the past two years, but this time it was different. No longer did the path end with a barricade. Now the path opened up to a beautiful plaza giving way to the entrance of the Tull Family Tiger Trail. After finding Dylan’s name on the donor plaque, we began walking down the bamboo lined path toward the Indonesian tiger statue. I could feel myself leaving one world and entering another.

    I was in Indonesia; surrounded by lush, green foliage and the soothing sound of a waterfall in the distance. Along the path were beautifully hand-carved wooden benches.


    Each one unique and a piece of art. These benches call to you, inviting you to sit and take in everything around you.

    Then, as I turned the corner, I saw him. Standing there only a few feet away from me and looking into my eyes was Teddy. I was mesmerized by his beauty.

    Teddy

    Teddy is a 10-year-old male Sumatran tiger and he loves to pose for the camera. As you can see, Teddy is quite handsome.

    Across the way I saw another tiger. One I have not seen since he was a small cub, only a few months old. It was Conrad and he stole my heart with his captivating eyes.

    Conrad

    Everywhere I looked took my breath away. The San Diego Zoo Safari Park did an amazing job designing this new Sumatran tiger habitat – not a single detail was left out. From the moment you walk through the arched branches you feel an overwhelming sense of calm and serenity.

    The message of tiger conservation is apparent throughout the exhibit. Whether it be a sign explaining how tigers care for their young or the Pondok where you can learn about poaching and illegal trade of animal products, it is clear that San Diego Zoo Global is serious about creating awareness and bringing these endangered species back from the brink of extinction.

    This new 5.2 acre Sumatran tiger habitat is home to six tigers. Delta just celebrated her 16th birthday and is the grand dame of Tiger Trail. She is the mother of the four young tigers (3-year-old sisters, Joanne and Majel and 2-year-old brothers, Conrad and Thomas) who were all fathered by the dearly departed Utan. Teddy is the new comer and we have high hopes that he will breed with one of the females to start a legacy of his own.

    Dylan and I have been following the construction of Tiger Trail since they broke ground and I am honored to have my son’s name listed as one of the many donors who helped make this new tiger habitat possible. Seeing something so beautiful left me speechless. I was (and still am) in complete awe of the new Tull Family Tiger Trail. I have been back three times already and still have a difficult time putting it into words. Aside from wanting to visit every chance I get, I have been inspired to do more for these magnificent animals.

    Fewer than 350 Sumatran tigers remain in the wild and this number continues to drop. There are currently 270 Sumatran tigers in captivity as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP). Scientist estimate that these tigers could be extinct in their native Sumatra by 2020 unless we take action now to protect and preserve the Sumatran tiger. That is only six years from now. Humans have driven the Sumatran tiger to the brink of extinction and now humans must be the ones to save them. The Tull Family Tiger Trail is a huge step in the right direction to help save the Sumatran tiger.

    Delta

    Seeing a tiger walk up to you at eye level and hearing a tiger vocalize to another tiger is something I believe everyone should experience. If you have not been to see the new Tiger Trail, I urge you to visit the San Diego Zoo Safari Park soon. You will not leave as the same person you were when you arrived. Tiger Trail has a way of changing your mindset.

    You will become one with the tiger.
    You will live life, like a tiger.

    Tiger Trail is breathtaking, captivating, elusive, powerful, and mysterious.

    Just like a tiger.

    See more photos of the tigers and of Tiger Trail on my Flickr page.

    To learn more about the Sumatran tiger you can visit the Tiger Trail website.

  • Checking Things Off the Bucket List, Tiger Style

    Now that Tiger Trail is open we can cross one more thing off the Family Bucket List …

    Item #36 is now half way complete. Way to go Dylan!

  • Looking Back at Our Journey to Tiger Trail

    It seems like just yesterday Dylan was making a birthday wish, a wish that seemed almost impossible for a 9-year-old-boy, a wish that would forever change his world.

    However, it was not yesterday, it was two years ago. A wish that has taken two years to become a reality.

    A wish to help save the tigers.

    The kindness of a stranger brought a beautiful tiger painting into our home – Recognition from the White House gave Dylan another sense of pride for his conservation work – Getting to go behind the scenes and meet Danai, Connor, and Christopher was the icing on the cake. Now, we are ready for the final stop of our journey.

    About a year ago the signs started going up and the paths to the see the tigers began closing. As much as we loved seeing Joanne and Majel, seeing these signs meant we were that much closer to the new Tiger Trail opening.

    I never thought Dylan would be so happy to not see the tigers, but the day that we walked up to this he proved me wrong.

    Now, instead of seeing the tigers we got to see his birthday wish come true. Right before our eyes, visit after visit to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, we watched the construction of Tiger Trail.

    From the early groundbreaking with just a few bulldozers …

    To the sight of something more …

    This was no small task. Everyone had a job to do and each visit brought us closer to seeing Tiger Trail. A 5.2 acre habitat for the six Sumatran tigers who call the Safari Park home.

    Could this possibly be the new tiger bedrooms?

     In January 2014, we finally got to see a glimpse of the longhouse. This was really happening.

    I am so happy that I took these pictures over the past year and a half. Looking back at our journey, seeing where it all started, and knowing that so many people helped to make Dylan’s birthday wish for the tigers come true with their donations in his name brings such joy to my heart.

    Knowing that Dylan will have his name on a plaque at the exhibit, as one of the many people who helped raise the $19.5 million it took to create Tiger Trail, gives me a sense of pride that I can’t even begin to put into words. As strong advocates for tiger conservation, Dylan and I are honored to be attending a special celebration on Thursday, May 22 before Tiger Trail officially opens to the public.

    We have been counting down the days – the excitement is getting harder to contain – a birthday present two years in the making is now less than 48 hours away.

    You can read more about Dylan’s Tiger Trail journey by visiting our Wish for the Tigers page.

    The official opening of the Tull Family Tiger Trail is Saturday, May 24, 2014

  • The journey to Tiger Trail continues

    On a recent visit to the Safari Park, Dylan was stopped dead in his tracks when he saw this sign.

    He read it, turned around to face me and said, “Mom, that’s me they are talking about.”

    Yes it is Dylan. Yes it is.

    He was so proud and overwhelmed with joy. He just stood there.
    Touching the sign.
    Bonding with the tiger in his own way.

    I will admit I had tears in my eyes watching him. When I asked if I could take his picture with the sign he smiled and said, “You better!”

    He then proceeded to give the tigers a little more – because that’s just how he rolls …

    and I wouldn’t have it any other way!