Snow leopards, Tigers and Bears...oh My!

Sounds scary I know but it is actually where I feel the most at home. I got a chance to escape the land of birds and Dorothy, the keeper I volunteered with for 4 years, stole me away and iIgot to officially train on her string. It was really cool to be back like old times since I have not gotten to work with her since December. One of the coolest parts is that now I had Keys.

As I go throughout the zoo during my days there are often little moments that catch my senses and make me step back and enjoy it a little more.
Footprints in the mud often do this to me. I will be doing the regular rake and clean routine preparing to open up and suddenly as I try to avoid the gooshy mud I get entranced by how cool and experience I get to have. How many people get to experience tiger, bear, or snow leopard prints. Even more the animals themselves.
Well on Tuesday I had another one of these moments. I was locking one of the multiple locks in the back area of tigers. While you are doing this you are literally inches from this:
and they really want to eat you. I was finishing locking and suddenly felt the hot breath of an angry tiger on my hand. WOW! How cool. I am glad I can experience some thing so unique , but I am also thankful to have both my arms and all of my fingers.