I spent about two hours photographing these amazing creatures at Dreamworld. One of the Bengal Tigers in particular caught my eye. Baru was playful and happily interacted with both the other tigers and his handlers. Although he was clearly content in his enclosure, I could not help thinking that there was something fundamentally wrong.
Baru has not once seen his natural habitat. Where he should be able to run freely in India, he has only ever known the confines of his enclosure - which is nothing compared to a jungle. Unfortunately, due to threats such as poachers and habitat loss, there are only 3000 Bengal Tigers left in the wild - One to three of which die daily.
The wild beauty and grace I witnessed while watching these animals is most certainly a privilege. A privilege that I believe needs to be protected. Dreamworld's Tiger Fund has been raising money to enable the survival of Bengal Tigers in the wild since 1996, and their facilities at Tiger Island have ensured that Bengal Tigers - although in captivity - will live on. However, more must be done to stop poachers and protect habitats. Although Baru will never see the jungles in India, it does not mean that others of his kind will be unable to live in the wild.