Lions Tigers & Bears

About Lions Tigers & Bears

Lions Tigers & Bears is an exotic animal rescue sanctuary at 24402 Martin Way in Alpine, California, in San Diego County. According to the sanctuary, it is a state and federally licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit on 142 acres at the edge of Cleveland National Forest, at an elevation of about 4,000 feet. It describes itself as a no breed, no contact rescue, sanctuary, and educational facility.

The sanctuary is not an AZA-accredited zoo. It lists accreditation from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and the American Sanctuary Association. Visits are by advance reservation only, not walk-in.

History

The sanctuary says it was founded in September 2002 by Bobbi Brink, who serves as its director. According to its About page, Brink turned to this work after learning that more tigers live in backyards, basements, and roadside zoos than in the wild.

Its first residents were two tigers, Raja and Natasha, rescued from Texas, where the sanctuary says they had been kept for five years in a 6 by 12 foot concrete and chain link enclosure in a backyard. In less than 30 days Brink arranged permits, funding, and transport, and an enclosure was built for the tigers on a friend's 93-acre property in Alpine. The current property is a former cattle ranch, according to the sanctuary's visit page.

Exhibits and habitats

The sanctuary reports that it houses more than 60 animals of 19 species. Species named on its website include lions, tigers, American and Himalayan black bears, grizzly bears, leopards, bobcats, mountain lions, and servals, along with dozens of ranch animals. The property includes species-specific habitats for the big cats and bears, a medical facility, an administrative and volunteer office, a barn, and visitor amenities including a venue area, an Airbnb, and a gift shop. The visit page notes a historical adobe structure still standing on the grounds.

The sanctuary states that it has rescued more than 1,000 big cats, bears, wolves, and other exotic animals from across the United States.

Conservation and programs

The sanctuary's stated mission is to provide a safe haven to abused and abandoned exotic animals and to serve as an educational forum to end the exotic animal trade. Programs listed on its website include guided educational visits, behind-the-scenes experiences, feeding experiences, group visits, school field trips, volunteer and internship opportunities, and annual memberships. Seasonal events and a North Park Taproom are also listed.

Planning your visit

The visit page lists several experience types: a guided Member for a Day visit, feeding experiences in which guests feed big cats and bears from behind the safety perimeter fence using a 4-foot metal fork, private behind-the-scenes visits, and overnight stays in the White Oak luxury cabin. The visit page says visits take place Wednesday through Saturday and all ages are welcome, with school field trips on Tuesdays and summer day camps on Wednesdays. Ticket details are on the sanctuary's website.

Stated rules include advance reservations for all visits, a strict no-touch policy with a secondary perimeter fence around every habitat, no smoking because of fire risk, no pets, and digital waivers completed before arrival. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times, and guests check in at a kiosk on arrival. Personal photography is permitted and commercial use is not. The sanctuary advises layered clothing, comfortable shoes for dirt pathways, and drinking water. The phone number is listed as 619-659-8078.