It is unknown how the tiger cub ended up in such a terrible condition, but when Vicky Kihi, founder of the Texas organization In-Sync Exotics Wildlife Rescue, found her, Aasha was seriously ill. The signs of malnutrition were obvious, as she weighed no more than 30 pounds. This is the weight of a three-month-old cub, but she was almost nine years old.
Concerned about Aasha’s extremely serious condition, Vicky tried to find out what had happened to her. «I was surprised how a 9-month-old tiger could be so small,» she said.
It turned out that the poor tiger cub was a member of a traveling circus. And because she was kept in a cage with a larger animal, she was not allowed to eat.
Moreover, she had a skin infection called ringworm. The lack of proper care only worsened the situation. So Vicky decided to take Aasha and take care of her.
«Bald spots covered almost all of her body, and her skin was dry, with cracked, dark and bleeding areas,» Vicky said. «Every day, twice a day, I came, gave Aasha medicine and spent time with her. I understood that I would have to take care of her so that she would recover.»
And after just a few weeks of proper treatment, the wild kitten got much better.
It took almost eight months before Aasha fully recovered. «After eight months, she looked like a real tiger, and it was time to see how she would react to other tigers,» Vicky said. And now she has changed beyond recognition!
