Shambala Preserve is an
animal sanctuary
An animal sanctuary is a facility where animals are brought to live and to be protected for the rest of their lives. Pattrice Jones, co-founder of VINE Sanctuary defines an animal sanctuary as "a safe-enough place or relationship within the cont ...
established in 1972 and located in
Acton, California
Acton () is an unincorporated census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, near the Antelope Valley. According to the 2010 census, Acton had a population of 7,596.
Acton is a small residential community located between the Sierra ...
, a
desert community southwest of
Palmdale
Palmdale is a city in northern Los Angeles County in the U.S. state of California. The city lies in the Antelope Valley region of Southern California. The San Gabriel Mountains separate Palmdale from the Los Angeles Basin to the south.
On Aug ...
, off of
California State Route 14 and north of Los Angeles.
About
Shambala is maintained by the Roar Foundation, founded by actress
Tippi Hedren
Nathalie Kay "Tippi" Hedren (born January 19, 1930) is an American actress, animal rights activist, and former fashion model.
A successful fashion model who appeared on the front covers of ''Life'' and '' Glamour'' magazines, among others, Hed ...
in 1983 as a
501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Shambala cares for endangered exotic big cats such as
African lions,
Siberian tiger
The Siberian tiger or Amur tiger is a population of the tiger subspecies '' Panthera tigris tigris'' native to the Russian Far East, Northeast China and possibly North Korea. It once ranged throughout the Korean Peninsula, but currently inh ...
s and
Bengal tiger
The Bengal tiger is a population of the '' Panthera tigris tigris'' subspecies. It ranks among the biggest wild cats alive today. It is considered to belong to the world's charismatic megafauna.
The tiger is estimated to have been present in ...
s,
leopards,
serval
The serval (''Leptailurus serval'') is a wild cat native to Africa. It is widespread in sub-Saharan countries, except rainforest regions. Across its range, it occurs in protected areas, and hunting it is either prohibited or regulated in ran ...
s,
mountain lion
The cougar (''Puma concolor'') is a large cat native to the Americas. Its range spans from the Canadian Yukon to the southern Andes in South America and is the most widespread of any large wild terrestrial mammal in the Western Hemisphere. ...
s,
bobcats, plus a
lynx, a
Florida panther, and a
liger.
Shambala is accredited by the
American Sanctuary Association.
Most of the animals at Shambala were born in captivity, orphans, are no longer wanted at
circus
A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, ventriloquists, and unicyclis ...
es or
zoos, or are given up by private owners who could no longer care for them. For example, Shambala became the new home for
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
’s two Bengal tigers, Sabu and Thriller, after he decided to close his zoo at his
Neverland Valley Ranch in Los Olivos, California.
The animals are not wild and are human dependent for their needs.
Shambala provides expert
veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...
s for care. Carefully planned diets are supplied by
Natural Balance Pet Foods
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Pet Foods is an American pet food manufacturer with its headquarters located in Burbank, Los Angeles, California. Established in 1989 by actor Dick Van Patten, the company markets itself as "Food For a Lifetime" ...
.
While Shambala welcomes all volunteers, they may not work directly with the animals.
Shambala Preserve was also home to a pair of
African bush elephants named Timbo and Kura. Timbo also starred in Hedren's film ''Roar'' as well as a documentary known as "The Elephant Man" (known also as "Tusks and Tattoos") in which the elephant's relationship with his caretaker, Chris Gallucci, was explored. Timbo, one of the largest bull elephants ever recorded in captivity, was brought to the preserve in 1972, and died of natural causes at age 48 in 2005. Kura meanwhile died in 2000 at the age of 41.
Staff
The current president is Tippi Hedren and vice-president is Stephen Shultz. Advisory board members have included:
Loni Anderson
Loni Kaye Anderson (born August 5, 1945) is an American actress who played receptionist Jennifer Marlowe on the CBS sitcom ''WKRP in Cincinnati'' (1978–1982), which earned her three Golden Globe Awards and two Emmy Award nominations.
Early ...
,
Melanie Griffith (Tippi Hedren's daughter),
Lily Tomlin
Mary Jean "Lily" Tomlin (born September 1, 1939) is an American actress, comedian, writer, singer, and producer. She started her career as a stand-up comedian as well as performing off-Broadway during the 1960s. Her breakout role was on the varie ...
,
Steve Valentine
Stephen John Valentine (born 26 October 1966) is a Scottish actor and magician. He is known for his roles as Nigel Townsend on NBC's crime drama series ''Crossing Jordan'', the voice of Harry Flynn in the video game '' Uncharted 2: Among Thiev ...
,
Donald Spoto
Donald Spoto (born June 28, 1941) is an American biographer and theologian. He is known for his best-selling biographies of people in the worlds of film and theater, and more recently for his books on theology and spirituality.
Spoto has writte ...
, and
Betty White
Betty Marion White (January 17, 1922December 31, 2021) was an American actress and comedian. A pioneer of Golden Age of Television, early television, with a television career spanning almost seven decades, White was noted for her vast work i ...
.
Veterinarians include: Jon J. Bernstein, DVM; Gay Naditch, DVM; and Chris Cauble, DVM.
References
External links
*
Melanie Griffith in Shambala Preserve
{{authority control
Geography of Palmdale, California
Parks in Los Angeles County, California
Protected areas established in 1983
Wildlife sanctuaries of the United States
Zoos in California
Cat sanctuaries