The largest wild animal sanctuary in the United States, the Rocky Mountain Wildlife Conservation Center, is hanging on by a thread. This nonprofit sanctuary is located on 160 acres just outside of Denver and is home to more than 150 large animals such as lions and bears. Recent disasters such as Katrina and the Tsunami have resulted in reduced donations to wildlife causes, making it hard for sanctuaries like the one in Colorado to survive. In fact, the volunteers who care for the animals there recently decided to close their doors because they simply did not have enough money to continue. Fortunately, they received a large number of donations when word got out and are now attempting to remain open. Of course, more donations are needed since this safe haven for unwanted and mistreated exotic animals does not receive any aid from the government.

More than 30,000 large exotic animals in the United States are not living in zoos. So where are they? Some animals are rescued by the USDA who find them being kept unlawfully and often times mistreated. Others are rescued from zoos who plan to euthanize them when they’re no longer entertaining enough or necessary. Some are owned by breeders, living in a small cage and rarely seeing the light of day. One pair of tigers, Honey and Irwin, were kept at a truck stop in Texas where they served as a roadside attraction. They were bred and the cubs were then sold to people who stopped for gas. Honey and Irwin were later confiscated by the USDA and taken to the Rocky Mountain Conservation Wildlife Center where they were well cared for and finally allowed to roam and interact with other animals.

Exotic animals are big business these days, so the number of unwanted animals continues to grow. Black market sales of wildlife is estimated to be in the billions. While there are more than a dozen sanctuaries for large animals in the United States, the Colorado-based sanctuary is a state of the art facility, providing its residents with habitats ranging in size from 5 acres to 25 acres. Visitors are welcome but should understand that the sanctuary is not a zoo; all precautions are taken to make sure that visitors don’t disrupt the animals. The goal is for the animals to exist peacefully in a habitat that’s as natural as possible. America appears to be experiencing a captive wildlife crisis, so more sanctuaries like this one will be needed in the future.

What can concerned citizens do? They can educate themselves about black market animal sales and speak out to bring about change. They can hold zoos accountable and ask questions about how their animals are treated, especially older animals. They can question the existence of zoos in general and gain a better understanding of how zoos obtain their animals and how they are treated during their time there. They can boycott circuses and stand up against the inhumane practices. Finally, individuals can help sanctuaries like the Rocky Mountain Conservation Wildlife Center continue helping animals in need by being generous and donating their time or money to the cause. They can even become virtual parents to a tiger or other animal at the sanctuary by "adopting" one today.