About an hour and a half south of Walt Disney World, a real Lion King story is unfolding.

My daughter and I were hosted by Disney to visit the Central Florida Animal Reserve to celebrate the release of The Lion King live-action on Bu-Ray and Digital. We love The Lion King, but after this trip, we would gain a whole new appreciation for the starring cats.

Orphaned cats here have survived against all odds, and are now finding happiness among unlikely allies.

The Day Simba Taught Us About Big Cats

Stepping off the bus in what seemed like the middle of nowhere, were greeted by our tour guide, K. “Simba” Wiltz, PharmD, PRS. Simba is a pharmacist by day and has been caring for big cats since the 90s. Here at CFAR, Simba assists in the medical treatment, feeding, and the overall well-being of the cats.

The Central Florida Animal Reserve (CFAR) is home to tigers, lions, leopards, and cougars who can count themselves as the lucky ones: Big cats around the United States are typically used for entertainment, then, unfortunately, disposed of as they become too large --and expensive--to handle.

Simba told us that only 15% of big cats in America are in zoos; the rest are privately owned. And there aren’t really many regulations to protect those cats in private custody--three states have absolutely no laws around owning big cats.

Owners often don’t know what they’re getting into until it’s too late. Cubs under 25lbs, for example, are great for photo opps at local fairs, but once the cats reach over 45lbs, they are no longer permitted to hang out among the public on a leash. This presents a potentially deadly situation for tigers and lions as they grow and become less profitable for their owners.

CFAR is a haven for cats that would have otherwise been put to sleep. And part of that is educating the public to recognize these cats as the majestic--yet wild--animals that they are. CFAR opened to visitors in 2017, offering tours that offer exclusive opportunities to see these cats up close, while offering a life-changing perspective on their plight.

Here’s what the Tigers Had to Say

Our first big cat encounter was with a lazy Ralf. He didn’t seem too interested in us, but then again, he’s going through what amounts to tiger teen years. Simba said it’s like being a 14 to 17-year-old human, “He’s not sure if he wants to be a lap cat or a grown-up”.

Misunkala (miz-SOON-kah-lah, which means “little brother” ) is a 14-year-old Siberian tiger that gave us some major signals as soon as we entered the reservation. And by signals, I mean hanging his huge mouth open, tongue a-waggling.

Simba explained that this was a friendly gesture, “The ‘relaxed-jaw look’ is a combination of a lot of different micro-expressions that are taking place. It’s the jaw that’s relaxed, the position of the whiskers, and how slow they blink their eyes.”

Turns out, his goofy expression was very friendly. Simba let us know that these cats display a lot of the same signals your house cat would--like those friendly slow-blinks I learned from watching Jack Galaxy.

And Simba is like, scary good at picking up those signals. He is so tight with his cat companions that he is able to actually do physical therapy with some of the cats, walking with them in their enclosures.

At age 10, about 90% of cats will develop arthritis, including Hocsa Win (meaning “Sunflower Girl”), a 13-year-old white Bengal tiger at CFAR.

“She usually likes to come up and get her head scratched, and then we’ll walk around together. That allows me to put my hand on her shoulder and feel how it’s moving.” Simba explained that “Win” loves being engaged with close contact and it gives him a chance to see how her arthritis is doing.

Simba joked about entering the enclosures with the cats, “There are just three major rules: Don’t bite us, don’t jump on us, don’t claw us. You don’t do those three things, we get along fine!”

These interactions are just an example of how tigers are finding a forever home at CFAR. White tigers are especially in danger of being put down. Since they don’t exist in the wild (people have bred them to sustain that white coloring), they aren’t housed by zoos--meaning they are either destined for entertainment or a private collection, where humane treatment of the animals is never guaranteed.

Rajah was only five years old when his owner decided to retire and disperse his collection. With a developmental defect causing a wobble in his walk, his owner thought the only solution was to euthanization. Three months of negotiation later, he’s now tearing into his toys at CFAR.

And tear they do. These big cats rip bowling balls to shreds and would make short work of the heartiest of Kong toys. During our tour, we saw these tigers in a more relaxed and active state than I’ve ever witnessed at a zoo. They were playing, resting, and trying to engage with us. We even saw a silly Bengal titer, Maaki, splashing playfully in the bath.

Coty and the Lion Queens

Approaching Coty’s habitat was like a scene from The Lion King. He was perched upon a large wooden platform--and had been watching as we were visiting the tigers.

Male lions have three times the testosterone as a tiger, so they are quicker to switch into a predatory mode, even when just being pet. For this reason, handlers do not enter the lion’s enclosure.

We had a little taste of Coty’s enthusiastic hunting instincts as he suddenly rushed toward us. A gopher turtle had been nearby and he caught the scent! You simply haven’t lived until a lion pounces just three feet from your face. Better than coffee.

Cunsi and Kola, CFAR’s resident lionesses are housed across the way. Simba described Cunsi as “the Nala of the group”--she has that true princess attitude. The CFAR website boasts, “Cunsi has the distinction of having yanked more handlers off their feet than almost any other cat.”

Panthers Don’t Exist and Lions Don’t Purr

Beyond the lioness habitats, two unique residents reluctantly greeted our small tour group, but I will forever remember this spot as where Simba blew my mind with a stunning cat fact:

Panthers don’t exist.

Gypsy, a black leopard, looked on apathetically from her enclosure. I thought she was a black panther at first, but it turns out, “Panthera” is a genus that describes big cats like leopards, jaguars, lions, and tigers. There isn’t actually one that that is a panther! Black leopards like gypsy are often misnamed “panthers”.

Turns out, Gypsy isn’t fond of male humans, so she wasn’t up for a lot of pleasantries. We moved on to Cante, who was even less hospitable, offering us a hearty hiss, just like a housecat. Here’s where Simba, by now having evolved into my Bill Nye of big cats, dropped another knowledge bomb about big cats.

Lions and Tigers can’t purr.

It goes like this: The cats that can roar can’t purr, and vice versa. A lion’s roar can be heard up to five miles away, and to do this, their throats have to be constructed entirely differently than say, your house cat. Jaguars and Leopards are purring cats, but can’t roar.

Keeping the Lights On

Every big cat here has a specialized enclosure, toys, medical care, and enrichment activities to improve their quality of life. Having just spent $200 on a build-your-own chicken coop, I had to wonder how this was all possible.

Each day CFAR serves up two to four tons of beef chicken, horse, and pork to their residents. Simba joked, “If anyone ever tells you they have a vegetarian tiger or lion, run--because it’s not real!”

That’s a lot of meat, but CFAR is able to keep food costs down by purchasing meats that are labeled as unfit for human consumption, preventing that meat from going to waste.

Simba explained that slight temperature changes during meat storage can mean a boon for the big cats, “You’re talking about a cargo container that’s full of frozen meat. [A temporary temperature change] is not really gonna do much, but based on USDA rules, that entire thing is trash. We are able to purchase the tons of meat for pennies on the dollar instead of dollars on the pound.”

Simba explained that the enclosures for the big cats are specially built to account for the Florida sun and a temperamental hurricane season.

The minimum standard for a Tiger is 240 square feet. Think of one of those little “houses” set up in IKEA. Yeah, not very big. The enclosures at CFAR are spacious and designed to allow for both sunbathing and hiding in the shade. They are also able to sustain high winds. 8-inch by 8-inch wooden poles extend into the ground about six feet, each with a 4-foot plug of concrete.

Here’s How to Help

The Central Florida Animal Reserve was built in just 4 years to the tune of 1.3 million dollars--and no paid workers. Everyone at CFAR is a volunteer, dedicating their time to helping these cats live quality lives.

Simba reflected, “The mere fact that people are supporting the mission means that there’s going to be a chance that those little kids who may grow up into a world where some of these cats are extinct can see them before their time is over.”

And CFAR is looking to fund some big plans. An expansion is in the works to allow for a few more enclosures that the cats can roam around in because cats like to, well, play. Simba said simply, “They like to play--that’s what they do.”

While it can be disheartening to hear the stories behind each cat here and the current condition of endangered cats, it only emphasizes the bright light here at CFAR.

Simba notes, “It doesn’t have to be a bleak message. There’s a huge uplift in the fact that this is all volunteer-run.”

The easiest way to help is to donate to the cause. A $50 yearly membership to CFAR will get you preferred access to events, an invitation for two to the annual Anniversary Event among the cats, and invitations to additional member-only events.

You’ll also receive a certificate as a show of gratitude, making this a perfect gift for someone in your life who loves big cats.

Want to see more of these big cats? Follow the Central Florida Animal Reserve on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook to see what the majestic Coty or the silly Michelob is up to today!

Thanks so much to Disney for inviting me out to the Central Florida Animal Reserve. The Lion King sparked my love for big cats as a kid, and CFAR certainly solidified my respect and love for them as an adult.