Carolina Tiger Rescue

Carolina Tiger Rescue is a non-profit wildlife sanctuary in Pittsboro, southwest of Raleigh and Cary. The institution was founded in the 1970s by Dr. Michael Bleyman as the Carnivore Evolutionary Research Institute. Dr. Bleyman founded the institute to breed keystone species in captivity and keep a viable population that could one day be returned to their natural habitat. The institution incorporated as a non-profit in 1981 and changed its name to Carnivore Preservation Trust. The trust continued its mission of breeding endangered species was very successful with several carnivore species, including the serval, ocelot, and binturong. As the environmental community began to recognize the role of carnivores in their ecosystems and the importance of saving these animals, species survival plans were developed that used genetic registries to maximize genetic diversity in the breeding of captive animals. The trust ceased its breeding program in 2000, because the species survival plans addressed the need to save the species at the trust. However, there was still a need for homes for big cats and other carnivores, and in 2009, the institution changed its name to Carolina Tiger Rescue, whose focus is on providing homes for wildcats and related carnivores.

Contact Information:

1940 Hanks Chapel Rd.

Pittsboro, NC 27312

Phone: (919) 542-4684

Website: https://carolinatigerrescue.org/