United in their love of all things tiger-related, and inspired by an American Girl doll that encourages girls to learn more about wildlife, four Stark County girls are helping to sustain two tigers at the Akron Zoological Park.
The girls raised $80 to feed Kemala and Jae-Jae, the zoo’s resident Sumatran tigers, a species that originated on the island of Sumatra in western Indonesia.
Nine-year-old classmates Ava Klink, Angela Fisher, Chloe Michel and Mia Tedrick, all fourth-graders at St. Paul Catholic School in North Canton, formed the Save the Tigers club after reading about Lanie, the American Girl Doll of the Year in 2010. Lanie’s back story, written by Jane Kurtz, galvanized the girls into researching every scientific fact they could uncover about tigers. After seeing a flier from the zoo that estimated the cost to feed the tigers for a week, the girls found their direction: a campaign to raise enough money to support them. The club convenes each school day during recess.
Pam Webb, the zoo’s director of development, greeted the girls at the front door of the zoo’s Barnhardt Family Welcome Center on a recent visit. Webb, who is responsible for creating the flier that caught the girls’ imagination, thanked them for their efforts in the tigers’ behalf.
“It goes a long way to help,” she told them.
The Sumatran tigers, housed in an exhibit in Tiger Valley, came to the zoo through the Species Survival Plan. The male, Jae-Jae, was born at the San Francisco Zoo in March 2008. He arrived in Akron the following year. Kemala, a female, was born in December 2006 at the San Diego Wild Animal Park and arrived in Akron last year.
They take turns in the outdoor exhibit each day and are never on display to visitors at the same time, said Vicky Croisant, senior wild animal keeper at the zoo.
At a September fundraiser, the girls baked cookies and brownies and sold them along with lemonade. The money they made, enough to feed both tigers for one week, was mailed to the zoo this month.
“We have generous neighbors,” explained Ava’s mother, Emily Klink.
David Barnhardt, director of marketing and guest services at the zoo and grandson of Richard S. Barnhardt, one of the zoo’s founders, accompanied the group to the tigers’ exhibit.
The girls, whose families are zoo members, discussed what kinds of food the 350-pound tigers might prefer.
“They eat fish and crabs,” Mia said with authority.
“And monkeys and birds,” Chloe added. “They can scoop up a turtle with their paws and get a porcupine without getting a mouthful of quills.”
A discussion arose about whether the tigers will eat crawfish.
“If they do, I’ll donate mine,” quipped Emily Klink, who said her daughter adopted one after a science experiment at school.
Actually, the tigers at Akron’s zoo eat about nine pounds of beef each day, Croisant told the girls.
Besides, it would take an awful lot of crawfish — at least 72 per meal, the girls estimated — to fill a tiger’s belly.
Jae-Jae, patrolling the exhibit from one end to the other, ignored spectators as he watched the tall grasses and boulders for any small movement.
“They are opportunistic carnivores,” Croisant pointed out. In other words, they are always on the lookout for prey.
Would a tiger go after an unsuspecting bird that had the misfortune to land in its exhibit?
“I’ve seen a duck now and then,” said Barnhardt, who admitted to the adults that he’s never actually seen one come back out.
The girls tried to engage Jae-Jae, but he was as unimpressed with them as any domestic cat that snubs its owner.
“He’s cantankerous,” Angela said. “Mrs. Murphy will be so happy,” she said with delight.
“It was the word of the day,” the four girls squealed in unison.
For their next fundraiser, the girls hope to make and sell jewelry, or set up a doughnut and coffee stand. Whatever they decide to do, it will be dedicated to helping the tigers at the zoo.
They agreed they would remain united in their goal: that their love of the big cats would endure the test of time.
“For a long time,” Ava said.
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
