Lea Jaunakais had one goal in 2007: do something real for endangered animals, not just talk about it. She bought a closed-down zoo in Rockwell and reopened it in 2008 as Tiger World.
What started with a handful of cats and primates has grown into a preserve caring for over 54 species, 14 of them endangered — tigers, white lions, ligers, bears, big cats rescued from situations that weren't giving them a real shot. No tax support funds any of it. Every dollar spent here — admission, memberships, donations — goes directly back into animal care.
Over 100,000 people visit every year, and 30,000 of them are schoolkids on educational tours, walking through guided visits instead of just staring through glass. VIP Safari Tours keep groups small — ten or fewer — for something closer to an actual encounter than a drive-by. Michael, the white lion, has his own following. Nacho the sloth has his own encounter package.
4400 Cook Road, Rockwell, NC — twenty minutes from Charlotte. Open daily except Wednesdays.