The stare

Taken through (dirty) glass, of course, lol! One of the magnificent Siberian Tigers at the Calgary Zoo. Photographed on September 14th. Doesn't he look soft and cuddly, ha?

"Siberian (or Amur) tigers are the world's largest cats. They live primarily in eastern Russia's birch forests, though some exist in China and North Korea. There are an estimated 400 to 500 Siberian tigers living in the wild, and recent studies suggest that these numbers are stable. Though their northern climate is far harsher than those of other tigers, these animals have some advantages. Northern forests offer the lowest human density of any tiger habitat, and the most complete ecosystem. The vast woodlands also allow tigers far more room to roam, as Russia's timber industry is currently less extensive than that of many other countries."

animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/siberian-t...

Posting so late this evening (around 9:45 p.m.) as I only got home around 9:15 p.m. from a wonderful day out with friends at Moraine Lake and the switch-back hike up to the beginning of Larch Valley. There was the expected Bear ruling, that people must hike in tight groups of 4 or more people - and there were only three of us. After waiting quite a long time, we asked a couple if they would like to join us. They hadn't planned on going on the hike, but they spent the next few hours "puffing and panting" with us up an endless series of uphill switchbacks through amazing forest. The view looking down though the trees on the turquoise waters of Moraine Lake was spectacular. I'm sure this couple, on holidays from England, won't soon forget their moment of madness when they agreed to accompany us, ha! They were delightful company and so patient when they had to wait for "some" of us to stop and rest our painful joints at regular intervals : ) They seemed to enjoy themselves, though - and they even had a few mushrooms pointed out to them. The day started off at around 1C with very dense fog in places. The light was pretty low for taking photos all day, and the gorgeous Larch trees had already lost a lot of their yellow needles. Nonetheless, we soaked up the beautiful scenery that surrounded us. How lucky we are to be able to visit and explore such places! Thanks so much, Stephen, for driving us on such a long trip - it was an absolute treat and so much appreciated! That Tim Horton's coffee on the way home sure hit the spot, too!

Later note added on 14 June 2012:
Tigers that used to be known as Siberian Tigers are now known as Amur Tigers. The name change is because their range now only includes the Amur Valley in Eastern Siberia.