I think this is incredible. Its a good reminder that God is in control.

I left out parts of this story because they were not "PG'' .But this is the jist.

In  2005,   A 12-year-old Ethiopian girl who was abducted by several men was found being guarded by three lions who apparently had chased off her captors

The girl was missing for a week, had been taken by seven men who wanted to force her to a marriage. This is when the lions are said to have had enough and chased the men away the protected the girl for half a day before she was found by the police and relatives.

officer Bita Genet, Wondimu said. She had been guarded by the lions for about half a day, he said. “They stood guard until we found her and then they just left her like a gift and went back into the forest,”

“Everyone thinks this is some kind of miracle, because normally the lions would attack people,

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, 

and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, and the calf and the lion and the fattened calf together; and a little child shall lead them.

Isaiah 11:6  Fear not; for I am with you: be not dismayed; for I am your God: I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you; yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness.

This is something I found in my research Large Cats a while ago. And If you take the time to read it all. I would like to say,that just from my research,It is not far out in the least...

How to Train A Lion or Tiger - .

by Sara Childers

description

In my 11th grade English class, I had an assignment to give detailed directions on how to do something. I chose something that I was very familiar with - training/raising big cats.

tags

lion-tiger-train

genre

Nonfiction

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Published on 2010-09-21

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Chapter 1   —   Updated Sep 21, 2010   —   10,088 characters

Ferocious, their eyes burning in the night and teeth as sharp as razorblades, lions and tigers seem like they can only be trained using brute force and aggression; however this widely accepted fact is, for the most part, wrong. As a professional wild animal handler for the past 6 years, I have come to learn that even though these powerful beasts have an aggressive side that can tear you limb from limb, they also have a softer, gentler, more affectionate side that is comparable to that of a domestic cat. I have raised both lions and tigers from infancy to adulthood, and with this have been privileged to be able to watch their developmental strides, falls, and accomplishments. I have also been able to form a close maternal bond with many a lion and tiger, bonds which I would not trade for anything in the world. With these bonds that I have with my lions and tigers, I have been able to sculpt and modify certain acceptable and unacceptable behaviors that the cats display. I do not believe in the use of whips, chains (except as a lead; chains are strong and the cats cannot chew through them), guns, or chairs, rather I believe in and use the love that I have for my cats, the trust that the cats have in me, and positive reinforcement in the form of tactile affection, a play toy, or food.



As complicated as it may seem, training any animal to do a certain task is relatively easy. A lot of it has to do with repetition and positive reinforcement. As I will discuss later, there are certain steps that need to be followed to achieve the goal of the animal complying to your request. After doing many hours of research and consulting with numerous wild animal trainers and animal behaviorists, I decided that the best way to train my cats was by rewarding the behaviors that I want, and ignoring the behaviors that I didn't want. Eager to please, the animals picked up on my reactions toward their behavior quickly, and wound up learning which behaviors are appropriate and inappropriate rather quickly.



By now, you are probably curious about how to train such a ferocious beast. However, I must state that you should NEVER approach any wild animal, and that you shouldn't try any of what I say in this essay at home. Remember, I am a trained professional that has been working with dangerous animals for the past 6 years. With that said, let me take you into the cage of the beast...



The first step in training a lion or a tiger comes before the cats' eyes and ears even open. Since the dams of my cats were born and raised in captivity, they do not have the maternal instinct and the knowledge needed to properly raise a litter of cubs. When the mother lion or tiger gives birth to the litter, she ignores them immediately because she doesn't know what to do with them. The mother cat will allow me to retrieve her cubs from her cage and take them back to my house. When they are at my house, I clean them off, tie their umbilical cord, and give them their first bottle, which is full of synthetic colostrum. I keep them in a cage that is lined with lightly used clothes that contain my scent. As previously mentioned, lions and tigers are born blind and deaf, and rely on their sense of smell and touch to make sense of the world around them. As the cats sleep with my scent, and associate my scent with their bottle, they start to learn that I am not a threat to them, but rather something that they associate with comfort and maternal care.



When their eyes and ears open at about two weeks of age, the cats start to develop personalities and become more adventurous. Of course, they are extremely happy to make sense of the organism that they have called "mother" all of this time, and they can not get enough of me. I will take them out of their pen and sit on the ground with them, and talk in a calm and soothing voice that doesn't hurt their sensitive ears. I also will lay down on my stomach so I can be at their eye level; this makes me less of a threat for them. They gladly come over and rub their face on mine and, in the case of tigers, chuff, which sounds like an "oof-oof-oof"; chuffing is a sign of affection. Of course, they will still scream for me to give them attention, to feed them, to stimulate them to go to the bathroom, and so on. Like a responsible mother, I tend to their every need round-the-clock. This further associates me with positive interactions rather than negative ones.



Within a few weeks, the cat's senses are honed, and instinct starts to show itself. The cats start stalking me, and pouncing out of nowhere, claws fully extended, teeth bared. Of course, this is only out of play, and wild cats perform the same behaviors with their mothers. And, just like their mothers, I won't tolerate it. When I feel a claw dig into my flesh, I immediately force the cat to retract it, and yell "NO HOOKS!". Likewise, when I feel the cat biting me, I bite it's ear just like a wild lion or tiger mother would; the ear is the most sensitive part of a lion or tiger, and when bit it HURTS. I believe that biting the ear of a large cat is the only proper way to teach the cat not to bite, because it shows him just how painful it is to be bitten. Now, of course the cat will be roaring mad at me, and whip around and usually snarl at me, but with a few calming words and a few gentle touches (and a couple of chuffs if it is a tiger), our loving relationship returns to normal. With a few repetitions of the dire consequences that follow biting and scratching, the average feline will cease in it's behavior.



As the cat gets older, I start teaching it the benefits of positive reinforcement. As previously mentioned, I only reward behaviors that I deem acceptable and ignore behaviors that I deem unacceptable (except for the case of biting and scratching when the cubs are young). This concept is aided by the use of a bridge, which is something that tells the animal that they are doing something right. This bridge can come in the form of a clicker, a whistle, or in the form of a spoken word such as "GOOD!". I start training the animal by using my bridge (I prefer to use clickers) and immediately providing the animal with a primary reinforcement, which is usually food. As with most animals, food seems to work the best when directly rewarding an animal. With repeated exposure to the clicker and the reinforcement that comes along with it, the cat starts to associate the bridge with being rewarded. This step is crucial to the training process because without a consistent bridge, the animal will not know which behaviors are desired and which behaviors are undesired.



Once the lion or tiger is used to the bridge, I start asking him or her to do certain behaviors. I will say the word that I want the cat to associate with that behavior loudly and clearly, and then I will model that behavior with the cat as best as I can (for instance, if I want the cat to sit, I will press on its haunches until it eventually sits). When the cat does what I want it to do, I use my bridge and provide the cat with a positive reinforcement. I then ask the cat to do the behavior again. After repeated attempts, the cat will associate the spoken word (such as "SIT!", "LIE DOWN!", or "PAW!") with the behavior that I am rewarding him for. Of course, you want to stay consistent with the requests, and not jump from request to request. Also, keep in mind that training any animal requires a lot of patience; animals NEVER get the concept on the first try.



If my cat performs a behavior that is undesired, I will not signal my bridge. Furthermore, I will ignore them until the right behavior is produced. It is essential for a good animal trainer to not give in to the begging and pleading of their animal for reinforcement, no matter how cute and adorable they may act. If you give in to their pleading, you are reversing all of the hard work and behavior modification that you put in to your animal. However, you should NEVER force your animal to perform anything that it doesn't want to. If my lion or tiger does not feel like doing a certain behavior, I skip the behavior and move on to a new one. It is always handy to keep in mind that I am a 120 pound piece of flesh that can easily be broken in half by the tremendous jaw pressure of any of the cats that I work with on a daily basis; I am nothing against their sheer power.



At this point I will reiterate the pay-off of the strong bonds that I have with the cats I work with: I respect them and they trust me. With this trust, man and beast can become one, and the line between what is impossible and possible is blurred. An example of this is the bond that I have with my personal tiger Athena. She is about 3 and a half years old now, and I have raised her since she was 2 days old. She will allow me to do whatever I want to her, and I frequently pull lightly on her tail to get her attention and kiss her on the nose. She will allow me to rest my head on her body and go to sleep, and she will not move. She also protects me from her brother Nero, who can be a bit rough at times. Athena seems to know how fragile I am compared to her and Nero, and when he gets too playful she will swat him in his face as if to say "if you're not going to be gentle with my Mom, you might as well leave".



It is my personal opinion that any animal can be trained, no matter how ferocious it is. Most of the animals that I have worked with are rescues that have come from abusive homes. I have taught these animals that I am trustworthy, and with that bond I was able to make the once fearful animal a social butterfly. Of course, I have collected many scars over the years from these animals, but I realize that it was my fault for overstepping my boundary with them. Each scar that I have accumulated has taught me a lesson about animal behavior, one that I shan't forget any time soon. With the proper amount of love, compassion, care, reinforcement, and trust, any behavior that you can imagine an animal doing is achievable.

Week 3: MY MOST DRAMATIC POST YET!

TO BE CONTINUED.....
Yes that's right! Due to weekend pressures/plans, you all will have to suffer from a Vitamin J deficiency. I will make it up to you all next week, or maybe before. (Ominous isn't it?! 0_o)

All complaints should be routed through the Home Office. Its number is 0OO-00O-O0O0, or you can mail them to us at our address of IIII, Justsouthofnowhere, Minas Tirath, Conservatopia. You could just leave them in the comments, but I can't guarantee that I will get back to you before the weekend is over. But, I can guarantee that you will receive the full cooperation of my studious secretaries, The Hunter, Twilight Shadow, and The Phoenix.

That's all for now!

A Gift And An Inspiration To His Brother

http://www.noticebrd.com/latest/gold-medalist-dedicates-perfect-run-to-brother-who-has-cerebral-palsy

I love this.

Announcement

I'm announcing that I may post the first chapter of my book on the blog soon. Just how soon soon is I Depends on how much time I can spend on writing.
 Question... Showed I do it by chapter or by paragraph?

Week 2: Wisdom of Gandalf Applied to a College Student

“I wish it need not have happened in my time," said Frodo.
"So do I," said Gandalf, "and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring 

"I wouldn't even care if it was in my time. I just wish it wasn't going to happen this Wednesday!"
The Gryphon, The Sojourn of the Scholar 

I currently sit on the second floor of the college library, surrounded by empty desks and lonely cubicles. This "early" in the morning (9:30 O_o) the cavernous abode is empty of pedestrians and earnest students alike. This is discounting the one Asian girl who is mumbling to herself in a different language on the window seat, and the two custodians chatting about something (nails and floor joists? Where is CrazyCraftsman or The Hunter when you need them?!). I look around, and I must admit that if one stripped the obnoxious modern "art" (twisted and tortured canvases sprayed with the most horrid colors in no comprehensible manner) the building might actually be a very classical place. Everything is made of stone which certainly creates a specific atmosphere, and the large floor to ceiling (and  the two happen to be three stories apart) windows give a perfect view of the snowy outdoors as I pensively look out them from my perch on the Media Center balcony. The shelves upon shelves of books could certainly keep me occupied for a lifetime  (or at least until next Tuesday). Definitely a good place.

You may be wondering, "what is he blathering about ?" or (if you are like my family) "QUICK CALL 9-1-1, Gryphon has entered his 'philosophical' phase! Strap him to a chair, play some John Wayne movies, and hook him up to an IV of Testosterone!" But, I assure you. I am completely in my "normal" state of mind, which may actually be scarier. I am actually taking a moment to breathe and (one sec *deep breath*) relax. This would be because of the rather strenuous/frustrating week that I have had. It included preparing for a message (which consumed the better part of a day, but was wasted because the meeting was cancelled due to snow anyway.), preparing for a Calculus test (the same day as the message), preparing for a fifteen minute presentation (which I will get to in a minute), building a discussion guide for Tuesday and Thursday, AND eating (a nearly religious act on my part). Add all this onto my normal propensity for sticking both feet so far down my throat that I can touch my toes to my tonsils, and you have a recipe for a gigantic headache. Needless to say, I was burning the candle at both ends (hence the quote above), and I am taking a moment to just remain stationary and let the cosmos swirl around me in an infinite dance of solar bodies.

*sigh*

Then I got bored and decided to write a new blog post. All that contemplation was causing me to question the indisputable fact that the universe revolves around my own harmonious self. Anywho on to the good stuff!

Retraction: I know. I know! The golden rule of college. "DO NOT PLAGERIZE! BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN IF YOU DO!!!!!!! JUST IN CASE YOU DON'T GET IT, HERE ARE SOME MORE EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
 Of course in my defense, I had no idea that I was plagiarizing. It was completely innocent. So, without further ado,
"I apologize from the very depths of my soul to Winona for posting the 'cow economics'  when she had already posted them on the Battle Arena."
There we go now my  conscience is clean. After all, literary integrity begins with you.

Theology: In my Christian History class, we had two fun little events. 1. We were discussing the origins of the faith, and Jesus Christ came up in the conversation. Go figure. We were happily discussing this when one of my "esteemed" colleagues came up with perhaps the brightest question ever asked. "I mean, like, how can someone actually die from crucifixion?" ........
-_-.......-_-.......-_-
 Yeeeeaaahhhh....He was being serious. It was rather embarrassing. Even the teacher didn't know exactly how to answer that. "Well after the bleeding, starving, and being nailed up on a tree, things tend to happen." Finally, I got ticked with this guy for asking such a stupid question, and I engaged in a 3 minute long diatribe detailing how the body reacts to being crucified and eventually succumbs to lack of oxygen in blood and ends up having a stroke. After I calmly explained in vivid detail the most horrific death sentence of the ancient world, there was silence. One guy in the front, who had turned towards me during my rant, simply said, "Dude, remind me never to get you mad again." Back-to-Blonde remarked, "And thus a serial killer is born." I simply smiled and replied, "Just wait till we get to the Spanish Inquisition, that is when the fun stuff happens."

2. This was more interesting and informative. The Pelagian Controversy was a doctrinal battle that enveloped the early church. Led by a man called Pelagius, this heresy stated that there was no original sin, but that Adam's fall instead only affected himself. He claimed that each individual was a clean slate that rose or fell by it's own actions, ignoring passages such as Romans. This attack on the idea that all men are born fallen led to some disturbing logical conclusions. If men aren't lost, then it is possible to earn salvation. If this is so, then why have grace? Why did Jesus have to suffer in our place? He emphasized man's free will over God's sovereignty to a point where God became an observer.

Pelagius was opposed by Augustine of Hippo. A very influential member of the early church, St. Augustine proclaimed a doctrine of Grace that was in essence this. (1) Adam and Eve fell due to their disobedience against God. (2) This fall separated them from a relationship with God and killed them utterly spiritually. (3) This position was passed on to all their progeny (us). (4) Because of our dead status, we could do nothing on our own to get back to God. (5) God in his mercy and sovereignty extended Grace through the sacrifice of his son. This view was adopted in the Council of Carthage, and the Pelagian Heresy was struck down, although it's spiritual successors still exist in the teachings of arminianism.

History: As I said, I gave a presentation, and it was okay. A solid performance by my standards. But then (que dramatic music) I was completely upstaged when four other presentees walked in with music stands and different brass instruments. Before I knew it "brass from the past" (that is what theu call themselves) regaled us with 15 minutes of Fugues and Renaissance dance music. I would be extremely jealous.......except it was too awesome! They were absolutely amazing, and I give complete props to them for totally overshadowing my wimpy (yet informative) lecture.

OH! I found someone who I would seriously consider making world leader. He is in my Doing History class, and he is truly a paragon of virtue. With his diplomacy he would soon have all parties at one table, and he would usher in a new age of peace and prosperity. What did he do you ask? This magnificent model of majesty brought.....wait or it.....DONUTS TO CLASS. I was floored. It was a truly humbling experience. Thank you mr. student for brightening my day.

Economics:  I would like to say a few words about income inequality. GET OVER IT! I would like to ask liberals and people who moan about "equality", what do you mean when you say equal? Do you mean that everyone gets the same? That is stupid. If I work my rear end off or come up with a great new idea or put all my money into a business, shouldn't I get more if I succeed? That is the very soul of capitalism! It is called harvesting the very incentive to succeed that drives every person. It is about creating a system that harnesses the immense self interest of the population and using to create a better nation......okay I am done ranting.

Calc: It is annoying. (who knew you could have the right answer and still be wrong.) 

This brings me around to the end. I don't know if anyone will enjoy this rambling, but I enjoyed writing it. If anyone gets the bottom of this, I have a question for you! If you don't answer this question I will now that you have just skimmed my post, and I will be sad.
Question: What game best represents real life? Here are some example answers:
Me: Chess: It represents the conflict, planning, and each piece so adequately represents a type of person!
Dad: Poker: It isn't chess or any other game. But if I have to choose, I would say poker, because no matter how good your hand is life might just bluff you out of your chips.
Professor: Connect Four: Interesting question! It just matters if you can get all the dots in a row.
Colleague: Checkers: Everyone is pretty much the same. You just have to take your opportunity to jump the other guy.

Oh look, the Asian girl got up. She is now talking with some blonde dude. I am going to go to class now. It is good to have a rejuvenating time to count your minutes. Enjoy the time you've been given everyone and make the best of it. Remember the sage advice of Gandalf and use your time wisely.

Bye