Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge celebrates 30 years
On Sunday, May 1, 2022, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge will celebrate its 30th anniversary.
In 1992, Don and Hilda Jackson, along with daughter Tanya, established Turpentine Creek Foundation, Inc., whose mission is to provide lifetime refuge for abandoned, abused and neglected big cats with an emphasis on tigers, lions, leopards and cougars. The story really began a little more than a decade earlier when Don and Hilda were given an 8-month-old lion in exchange for five motorcycles and a trailer. The young lion, Bum, was showing signs of suffering from the inadequate diet he was being fed and the Jacksons began the lifetime task of rehabilitation and care. It wasn’t long before word of their success with Bum began to spread. In March of 1982, they took on the care of another lion. This was a 5-monthold female named Sheila.
Another decade would pass before the full reality of the plight of big cats would fall quite literally into their laps. In late January of 1992 they learned of a woman, Catherine Gordon Twiss, with 42 lions and tigers in a variety of cattle and horse trailers in a farmer’s pasture nearby. She was desperate for help. The Jacksons knew of a property near Eureka Springs they had planned on moving to that could be turned into a refuge for these animals.
The story didn’t end that happily, though. The Jackson’s learned through this experience that there was little they could do to protect the cats that Catherine Gordon Twiss so desperately wanted help with. After giving up everything to establish the refuge to provide a home for them, relations with Twiss collapsed and she once again took her menagerie on the road. The Jacksons tried to stop her, but the law was on Twiss’ side and there was nothing the Jacksons could do to stop her or keep her from taking the cats. It would be another four years before 11 of those cats found their way back to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge when Twiss was arrested in near Harrison in Boone County on 11 counts of animal cruelty.
Bum was the first big cat the Jacksons had experience with and when he weighed 80 pounds at 8 months, they thought he was about half-grown. They did not realize how big he would get. Bum lived until 1995, three years after the official opening of the refuge, and he weighed 850 pounds. By then, the Jacksons had experience with a lot of big cats and understood the common misperception owners of large cats discover when these small cubs grow to become fierce predators with an average weight of 400 to 500 pounds for a healthy, full-grown tiger. They also had experience with varying laws in different states regarding ownership of exotic animals. The need for a sanctuary for these failed pet situations was dreadfully apparent.
In 1997, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge established its prestigious internship program. Graduates with a background in zoology, biology, animal psychology, veterinary sciences and other animal related fields spend a six-month tenure at the refuge caring for the animals and leave with a solid background in everything from proper habitat maintenance to feeding, supplemental medicine and enrichment programs. To date, more than 400 interns have graduated from the program and are employed in zoos and other establishments throughout the U.S. and abroad, while others have pursued further education in veterinary medicine. Dr. Kellyn Sweeley, TCWR staff veterinarian, was herself a graduate of the program.
Thirty years later, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge has provided sanctuary to over 450 animals through the years. There are currently a little less than 100 animals housed in large natural habitats on the 459-acre property. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the Refuge is entirely dependent on donations and recurring donors to keep the animals fed, provide medical care and housing. The refuge is open to the public daily throughout the year, with the exception of Christmas Day, and offers an hourly open-air tram tour where guests learn about the individual animals, their stories and care from knowledgeable staff and interns. Lodging is also available in a variety of adult-only and family-friendly options including an isolated tree house and a suite that overlooks one of the large habitats. All proceeds from tours, lodging and gift shop sales support the care of the animals.
When asked about the early days and current challenges at the refuge, president and founder Tanya Smith, said, “Things have changed … but, then again, we still face the same challenges we did 30 years ago. We had hoped to see an end to big cat exploitation within our lifetime and we still believe that is possible. It’s just been amazing how big the need is. We had no idea when we started that there were so many animals out there in such extreme need. We started from humble beginnings and are so grateful for the outpouring of support from our local community.”
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is proud to be a member of the Eureka Springs community and the northwest Arkansas region.
There will be a two-day celebration beginning the evening of Friday, April 29, and all-day Saturday, April 30. The refuge will host an in-person event including vendors, magicians, music, live bands, food trucks, educational programs and more. Eureka Springs Mayor Butch Berry will be out for a special presentation on Saturday at noon, and there will be several others throughout the day.
There are several ticket options available and details can be found on their website: turpentinecreek.org/30thanniversaryevent/. Tanya and Scott Smith, president and vice-president, will be on hand to meet and greet the visitors and share the story of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. Everyone is invited to come out and spend the day to help celebrate this significant milestone in the history of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge.
Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and rescue operation protecting survivors of the exotic animal trade. The 450-acre refuge, located seven miles south of Eureka Springs, is also an ethical animal tourism destination and a “Top Three” family friendly attraction in Northwest Arkansas. The refuge is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, a member of the American Association of Zoo Keepers, and licensed by the USDA and Arkansas Game and Fish. Its mission is to provide lifetime refuge for abandoned, abused, and neglected “Big Cats” with emphasis on tigers, lions, leopards and cougars.