Tran Ngoc Luan with a white tiger at Thao Cam Vien Park in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Le Hang)

Tran Ngoc Luan took care of tigers at Thao Cam Vien Park for 10 years. He was in charge of 9 tigers. Luan knows well the behaviors and habits of each tiger.

Taking care of new-born tigers was as hard as taking care of human babies, he said. The mother tiger did not have enough milk for her cubs, so Luan had to feed the little tigers every two hours and keep them warm. When the tigers were 4 years old, they needed more protein, so Luan fed them minced pork with milk. When the tigers were ill, his work was much harder. 

All the tigers Luan has taken care of are close to him. It became a routine that Luan would feed the animals at 3pm every day. The tigers are docile in Luan’s hands.

Luan points out that tigers are wild animals used to a jungle habitat. When they are captured, they tend to get stressed and more aggressive, so zoo keepers need to treat them gently to prevent a ferocious reaction, Luan said.

“It requires great passion and devotion to do this job. Tigers are wild animals, so their behavior is unpredictable. They are easily irritated by provocative actions. Zoo keepers need to be careful when dealing with these animals.”

While taming tigers, any negligence can result in a serious accident. It requires a tiger tamer to be in good health and have quick reactions. A tiger keeper must prepare suitable food to feed the tigers, keep their cages clean, and check their health status regularly. 

Mai Khac Trung Truc, the Director of Thao Cam Vien Park, says a tiger keeper must have a great love for the animal and a strong sense of responsibility.

“Luan was really passionate about and dedicated to his work. He remained comitted to the job regardless of the danger. Only people who have a great love for animals can do that,” said Truc.

Luan is now retired and says he misses his job. He stays in contact with the zoo and sometimes suggests ways to improve the care of the tigers.