A good captive facility always considers the physical health, wellbeing and safety of animals, caretakers and the public before the animals are given a new home. The tragic incident that led to the rescue of Jade by FOUR PAWS brought into sharp focus the critical issues of safety standards in many captive environments, especially where profit maximisation triumphs over welfare issues.  

Jade is a Siberian tigress that was born in 2001 together with her brother, Jasper. The tragic incident involved her brother, with whom she shared an enclosure at Seaview Predator Park, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. According to statements by the park, Jasper breached the fence of the enclosure to get to a female tiger in another enclosure. This resulted in fatalities to an employee and another tiger in the facility. The electric fences of Jasper’s enclosure were not working as the park was busy with repairs, according to their statement.

The owners of the park put Jasper in isolation in a small holding facility after the incident and had planned to euthanise him when FOUR PAWS stepped in. FOUR PAWS insisted that Jade also came along to LIONSROCK Big Cat Sanctuary, where she now happily lives in a large enclosure with high standards of health and safety, as well as species-appropriate amenities. 

Sadly, Jasper passed in 2024 due to health complications.