Bear, tiger and lion live as siblings at Ga. sanctuary

Travel

Bear, tiger and lion live as siblings at Ga. sanctuary

Where can you find a bear playing with a tiger, a lion confiscated from a drug dealer, a monkey named Elvis and more than a thousand other animals? All of them call Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary home.

Where can you find a bear playing with a tiger, a lion confiscated from a drug dealer, a monkey named Elvis and more than a thousand other animals?

All of them call Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary home.

"All of Noah's Ark's animals are rescued in one form or another," Allison Hedgecoth from Noah's Ark Sanctuary told Nelson's News.

"Some people have exotics as pets such as monkeys and, believe it or not, lions and tigers and bears, and then they get out of hand and they either surrender them to us or they are confiscated by either the Department of Natural Resources or the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

Noah's Ark Sanctuary is a 250-acre nonprofit facility that dozens of different types of animals call home. It originally opened in Ellenwood in 1978, before moving to its current location in 1990.

It's not a zoo -- staffers don't breed animals. It's a place where rescued animals come to live out the remainder of their lives.

The sanctuary is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 12 to 3 p.m. The picnic area, playground and welcome center are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The walking tour of the animals is only open a few hours a day because it's a sanctuary for the animals where they can relax. Staffers believe it's important for the animals to spend most of their days without a lot of people.

Here are some more photos from Noah's Ark Sanctuary.

Doc the Bengal tiger was rescued from an overcrowded breeding facility. When he went to Noah’s Ark, the staff temporarily put Doc and Little Anne together so they could have the company of other animals. Then something strange happened. One night, before falling asleep, Anne climbed on top of Doc and began sucking on his ears, making a humming noise that soothed her right to sleep! The pair is now inseparable. Here they are pictured when they first came to Noah's Ark.

"We don't receive any state or government funding," Hedgecoth said. "It costs over $33,000 a month just to feed and provide medical care for our animals."

The sanctuary is looking for volunteers, too. They currently have about 250 volunteers, but they are always looking for more.

The sanctuary's next event is the third annual Zebra Dash on Saturday, April 6. The course takes runners around the different habitats at Noah's Ark.

And yet, the organization doesn't charge to tour the facility. Noah's Ark only asks for donations. To donate, either monetarily or with an in-kind donation, check out Noah's Ark on the web.

Here are some more photos from Noah's Ark Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noahs Ark Animal Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noahs Ark Animal Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noahs Ark Animal Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noah's Ark Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noah's Ark Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noah's Ark Sanctuary.

Here are some more photos from Noah's Ark Sanctuary.

1/24

Where can you find a bear playing with a tiger, a lion confiscated from a drug dealer, a monkey named Elvis and more than a thousand other animals?

Today's Gallery Headlines

Jesse Jackson

PHOTOS: Civil rights icon Jesse Jackson found stage and home in Atlanta

Spring training Day 5 (Saturday)

PHOTOS: Day 5 of spring training for the Braves

Valentines for Veterans

Metro Atlanta students write valentines to veterans

GHSA Championship, Dance, Akins Ford Arena, Athens

PHOTOS: Georgia teams dance way to state championships