Take a trip to the Big Cat Sanctuary and explore this amazing haven for gorgeous big cats in Smarden, England!

The Big Cat Sanctuary is in the heart of the countryside at Smarden, near Ashford in Kent. From our home in Poole, it was about a 3 and a half hour drive northeast. Again, this a fantastic place to explore when you visit England!

On our drive to the Big Cat Sanctuary we stopped for a lovely lunch at an amazing proper English pub. Take a look at my post from yesterday to see the classic interior!

yankeebrit.blog/explore

The Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent is dedicated to the well-being and conservation of wild cats. The staff there actively welcomed us, shared their wealth of knowledge and encouraged us to explore!

The tour guide for our group explained the staff’s dedicated responsibility to care of these beautiful animals. Equally important, he shared how this is truly a sanctuary for these precious animals. The staff care for the animals welfare, ensure they are well fed, cared for, and bred when it is the responsible thing to do.

Have a look at some of these amazing cats! Gorgeous colors, beautiful coats, and each had their own personality ~ meet Puna, a beautiful Sumatran Tiger:

Next comes Sahi, a regal lion ~

And then, meet my favorite, Baikal, This beautiful white tigers’ fur is actually the result of a genetic mutation called leucism (very similar to albinism). Unfortunately for these gorgeous white tigers, having white fur makes them unable to camouflage. This greatly reduces their chance of survival and therefore these cats are rarely seen in the wild.

Lastly, meet Neron, a gorgeous jaguar. Look at his beautiful coat and markings! He is a melanistic jaguar. Melanism in jaguars is inherited by a dominant gene, which leads to a production of the dark melanin you see in Neron’s coat. He is absolutely stunning!

We were fortunate enough to experience an overnight stay as we explored this amazing sanctuary in Smarden, England.

Our accommodations for the evening were fantastic, Rustic lodges, set amidst beautiful surroundings make this an amazing place to explore in England ~

The lodge we stayed at was named “The Jaguar Lodge” and was a 2 bedroom accommodation with a lovely oversized bathroom and beautiful lounge/dining area. The lodges are surrounded by outdoor decks to enjoy!

If you choose to explore this amazing sanctuary in Kent, England, upon your arrival, you will be greeted with a lovely afternoon English Tea!

Also, you will be served a delicious evening meal after your first days’ tour of the grounds. You then have the evening to spend in your lodge and wake to hear the incredulous sounds of the lions roaring in the distance!

On our second day we had the amazing opportunity to hand feed some of these amazing species!

Upon exploring this amazing refuge for gorgeous big cats, you may be able to hand feed some of them! My husband is about 6 feet tall and this cat was just about the same height when standing! Furthermore, take a look at the size of his paws!

Explore England! See all it has to offer!

A huge thank you to my amazing sister and brother-in-law for arranging this once in a lifetime opportunity! Also, a great big thank you to the staff at The Big Cat Sanctuary!

For further information, click on the link below to see how you too can explore this amazing big cat sanctuary in England!

Note: The sanctuary is not open to the public. You will need to book your reservations for experiences. However, there are special “Open Days” which you can find on their link below.

https://thebigcatsanctuary.org/about/

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