Arkansas Wildlife Refuge Expands To Help More Animals

Arkansas' Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge had a big day over the weekend as they officially opened their new expansion with a ribbon cutting. The expansion will help them take care of more big cats and other animals.

The refuge located in Eureka Springs started the expansion a year ago and has now added an extra 14 acres to house and take care of 44 more animals. The new expansion is called Freedon Field.

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge came about because a friend of the founders Don and Hilda Jackson was giving a lion cub back in 1978 but he realized it was a bigger commitment than he could handle so the Jackson's took the lion. They expanded their backyard to accommodate Bum. Then another big cat came to them named Shelia.

According to their website, it all changed in 1991 when the Jacksons met a woman who was known to be a breeder and a black-market dealer. She was running from the law and had 42 big cats inside three cattle cars close to where the Jacksons lived. This is when the Jacksons decided to buy land and help all these animals.

A year later Turpentine Creek was founded and now they cater to 100 big cats and other wildlife.

The new addition will allow them to care for another 44 animals at their facility.

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