cameron davidson wild about saving tigers

He’s been a lifeguard, a labourer, a council worker and a security guard, but growing up with an environmentalist father there was never any doubt that Cameron Davidson would one day focus his energy on saving at least one part of our planet, in this case, the critically endangered tiger.

Today one of nine animal handlers at Dreamworld’s Tiger Island facility, Cameron’s role is to educate Australian and international visitors about the plight of the tiger. He and the team push out a message of hope and conservation via two inspiring tiger shows featuring giant Bengal tigers leaping off logs, gently slurping milk from the arms of their handlers and rapidly climbing up a 10 metre tree.

“It’s so important to save the tiger,” Cameron says. “By working with a flagship species that people connect with, we can also protect dozens of other species that share the same habitat.”

“Humanity has managed to wipe out 96,000 tigers in a hundred years, leaving only 4000 in the wild today. Unless we act fast, the only place we’ll see a tiger will be in captivity, or worse, in a jar.”

Come June this year, Cameron will become the first Dreamworld representative to patrol the jungles of Sumatra, helping local rangers round up poachers, de-snare animal traps, educate villagers and map tiger trails over a two week period.

One of three anti-poaching patrols funded by Dreamworld’s Conservation Fund (the other two are in Russia and India), the Kerinci Seblat National Park patrol hopes to save some of the last 400 Sumatran tigers remaining in the wild.

“The rangers in Indonesia have a tough job. They come from regions where villagers sometimes see the sale of tiger parts as a foot up and a means to feed their families. They also have to convince locals the benefits of saving this wild animal even when landholdings and herds, located in tiger habitat, are under potential attack.”

“I want to see first-hand just what they go through and bring this knowledge back to the Tiger Island team. It will give much more relevance to our cause.”

“I also want to share the massive support the Indonesian patrol have from everyday Australians.
“When you think about it, about a million people a year visit Tiger Island. Some donate money, others take action. But you can bet that after watching our tiger shows, none of them want the species to die out.”

A “veteran” of Tiger Island since 2003, the road to saving tigers has been a long hard slog for Cameron.

Despite a three year certificate in zoo keeping, his first “job” in animal husbandry meant early morning starts and scrubbing out icy cold marine mammal cages for no money. Entirely voluntary, he held this position for more than four years working second and third jobs to make ends meet.

“I’ve worked my butt off and sacrificed a lot to get the job at Tiger Island. But it’s the best feeling ever.”

“I do all the education groups as I love talking to kids and reconnecting them with nature. If you’ve got that connection, you are going to be a better person; more compassionate, more understanding and more sensitive to your environment.”

Working with tigers has also boosted Cameron’s confidence and given him the ability to better interpret behaviour.

“Ten years ago I was shy and introverted. Now I speak before huge crowds. If you believe in what you are doing it’s a whole lot easier. And I really believe in what I’m doing.”

“Tigers have taught me the power of observation and how to look for and recognize triggers in both animal and human behaviour. After working at Tiger Island, I’m much better at diffusing situations among humans.”

When asked what he thinks the odds are of this magnificent species surviving, Cameron said, “Humans are the custodians of the planet. The positive side in me likes to think that they will survive. The realistic side says that given the way humans behave, there’s a whole lot of work to do yet.”

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About Tiger Island:
Tigers in the wild face a grim future. At the turn of last century (1900) there were more than 100,000 tigers in the wild and today, there are less than 4,000, including fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers. Man has contributed to the tiger's demise in three major ways: hunting, poaching and the destruction of tiger habitat.

Opened in 1995, Tiger Island is the largest interactive tiger facility outside the United States and is an educational conservation-based attraction that actively works to save tigers in the wild. In the specifically designed 1600 sqm habitat of Tiger Island, the tigers and their handlers co-exist peacefully without the constraints of cages creating an exciting and unique experience for guests. Dreamworld’s tigers are trained (never ‘tamed’) by establishing and maintaining a strong bond, based on trust, respect and affection, between the handlers and tigers.

All Dreamworld's Bengal tigers were born in captivity, as were their parents, grandparents and great grandparents. They receive a good consistent diet, regular veterinary care and experience a quality of life, which doubles their life-span compared with tigers in the wild. Wild tigers live to between 10 and 12 years, while tigers living in interactive environments like Tiger Island have been known to reach over 23 years of age.

Dreamworld is passionate and committed to saving tigers in the wild and has donated approximately $1.2 million to the cause and is now a gold sponsor of 21st Century Tiger. Guests can earn their conservation stripes and contribute to the cause by getting up close with the tigers and their handlers through:

 Tiger walks – where guests join a tiger and handlers their morning walk through the park. Advance bookings essential.
 Tiger photos – guests can have their photo taken sitting with and patting a tiger. Advance bookings essential.
 Tiger presentations – held twice daily demonstrating the tigers' natural behaviours as would be experienced in the wild. Guests can also ask questions and interact with the handlers throughout the day.
 Cougar Presentation –an up close and personal experience with Inca and Sierra daily at Tiger Island.
 Through Dreamworld Tiger Fund donation boxes located at Tiger Island.
 Through the purchase or Tiger Island merchandise.