Jerry Holzer works with tigers

By Chris Welsch, Star Tribune

Last update: January 12, 2008 - 4:36 PM

Jerry Holzer is one of the keepers working with the zoo's seven Amur tigers (like Lana, pictured), which come from the far east of Russia. Requiring vast territory to hunt enough prey, only a few hundred are still wild.

"One of the big things with tigers, in particular, is security. When I put the tigers out ... I have to make 100 percent sure that exhibit is going to contain them. It could be disastrous if they were out."

"Tigers, like most carnivores, in the wild as adults would be somewhat solitary animals. They don't have the need to please anybody else. So they let you know when things aren't going the way they want. If I've opened a door and I want them to step through ... and if I try to harass them verbally a little bit to get them to do what I want, if they roar at me I might just take a step back, go into another room until they mellow out, or use some food as enticements. The roar is a really awesome sound. Especially in close quarters, at our off-exhibit facility, you feel it with your body and your brain stem reacts to it a little bit.

"It's the most humbling position I've had at the zoo because the animals themselves are two to three times as big as me and remind me of my place in the food chain. But it's one of the most rewarding because when you're out in the public space and the tigers are showing off, they are the most impressive cats in the world. It makes you feel like you're doing something worthwhile."

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