BY ANDY TAYLOR
Montgomery County Chronicle
Caney’s Safari Zoological Park will celebrate two celebratory milestones next week.
The first milestone will be the release of “Tiger Cubs,” a book written by zoo owners Tom and Allie Harvey about the birth of three tiger cubs in 2007 and their sebsequent “adoption” by family pet Isabella, a golden retriever dog. Isabella served as a surrogate mother for the tiger cubs after the cubs’ biological mother abandoned them after their birth. The fact that a dog became the mother to three members of the feline family became grounds of national and global media attention, and the Caney Safari Zoological Park was the subject of news stories across the globe.
The news even sparked interest with the Harper Collins publishing company, which signed the Harveys to a deal to produce a children’s book about Isabella and the three tiger cubs. The book will be released by the New York City-based publishing house beginning June 23. The Caney-based zoo has received several dozen advanced copies of the book and can be purchased at the zoo starting on June 23.
To celebrate the release of the book, the Harveys — along with Isabella and the three young tigers — will be featured on NBC’s “Today” show next Thursday morning, June 25. Tom Harvey said it’s not known when the segment will air on the broadcast, however a television camera crew will be at the Caney zoo for a live interview between the Harveys and “Today” show personalities Meredith Vieria and Matt Lauer.
This will mark the Harveys’ third appearance on the “Today” show.
The three tiger cubs that captured global media attention last year are now 135-pound cats. Nasira, Anjika and Sidani are housed in their special habitat area where they enjoy the summer afternoons swimming in a pool and showing off for zoo guests.
Some of the photographs for the book were taken by the Harveys themselves, however the bulk were taken by National Geographic photographer Keith Philpott. The story about Isabella and the tiger cubs was written by Allie Harvey.
The release of the book as well as the “Today” show appearance will also set the stage for the Safari Zoological Park’s 20th anniversary celebration, which will be held next Thursday, Friday and Saturday, June 25-27. Free hot dogs and drinks will be given away on June 27, and zoo guests will also see a special exhibit of raptors, falcons, owls and eagles from the Eagle Valley Raptor Center in Valley Center, Kan. The bird exhibit will be held at 11 a.m., and 1 p.m, on Saturday.
The zoo will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday (closed Sunday).
Tom Harvey said that the story of Isabella nursing the three tiger cubs came at an appropriate time for the zoo in 2008, which was facing an uncertain financial future. Publicity from that story, combined with the book deal from Harper Collins, has allowed the zoo to remain open in Caney. However, Harvey said he isn’t worried about the future of the Caney attraction, which started in 1989 as an exhibit of one tiger.
“God is in control of the situation, and last year’s events surrounding Isabella and the three tiger cubs showed us that miracles do happen,” said Harvey. “Now, we’re just waiting for the second round of miracles to begin.”
