THAT'S GRRRRRREAT! Big Cat Enthusiast Wrestles with Tigers and Lions to raise awareness about the endangered species

A BIG cat enthusiast keeps six tigers and two lions in his back yard with one of his beasts weighing a massive 700lbs

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Videographer / Director: Laurentiu Garofeanu
Producer: Dan Howlett
Editor: Kyle Waters

Carl Bovard, 43, poses for a picture with five-year-old Siberian tiger Sampson

Carl Bovard knows that he is dicing with death every time he wrestles with his huge felines but considers it a risk worth taking to raise awareness about endangered species.

He set up Single Vision – his educational, non-profit company – nine years ago and welcomes tours to his house and garden where his wild animals live with him.

After an accident left him blind around 13 years ago he decided that the main thing he would miss seeing was animals – when he regained sight he adopted his first two tiger cubs.

Along with the big cats he also keeps two bear cubs – Bruiser and Honey, a leopard and two alligators.

Carl and Sampson playing rough in his backyard

Carl said: “There are many dangers that come with keeping these animals and you’ve just got to take all the precautions you can to stay safe.

“There’s no doubt about the fact that death would be the worst outcome from this.

“Instinctively they just know to go straight for the vitals – when I’m with them I never give them a free shot at my neck.”

Carl holds his six-year-old Asian Black Leopard called Sita

Carl plays with three-year-old Cougar named Chaos

Carl plays rough with the tigers, allowing them to recreate the honing of the natural hunting talents they would develop in the wild – but that does not come without it’s drawbacks.

“I’ve had a leopard bite me on the nose and I had to get that sewed back together. I’ve also had my shoulder separated, he added.

“I was playing with a few of the cats and another decided to join the fun. He ran at me and they can get up to around 50 miles per hour in a couple of strides – that hurt.

“But when they’re growing up they play really rough together in the wild. It’s how they hone their natural instincts – I can’t deny them that.”

Carl runs Single Vision – an educational, non-profit company – where visitors are invited to take a tour of his house and garden

Despite the controversy that comes with keeping and breeding big cats in captivity Carl believes that his organisation is actually helping tigers and lions.

He added: “Having these cats in captivity and being able to show them off gives people a chance to get a passion for them.

“It is essential that we keep them in captivity to create that passion in people and make them want to help these beautiful animals.

“People say to me – they belong in the wild but my question to them is – what wild?

“There are seven billion people on this planet and we are destroying the habitat of these animals.

“Pretty soon the only tigers left are going to be those in captivity and they may need to be used to repopulate the wild.

“I do what I can to give these guys the best lives possible and I want to work to ensure more tigers and lions in captivity are better treated.”

Summer, a 13-month-old Siberian tigress, and Leo, a 14-month-old lion get to grips with their owner

His biggest tiger is a Siberian named Samson – he weighs more than 700lbs and is over nine and a half feet tall when he stands on his back legs.

Despite the fact that Samson could tear him in two with one swipe of his massive paw Carl still carries his food right to him.

He added: “Some people use a guillotine system to feed their tigers but I walk the food right in.

“I have a great relationship with the animals but it changes when I have food in my hands.”

Sampson the Siberian tiger drinks from a bottle held by Carl

Carl Bovard, 43, playing with Summer, a 13 month old Siberian tigress on July 12, 2014 in his backyard in Melrose, Florida

He buys a massive 1,500lbs of meat each week and his big cats can get through 200lbs in a single sitting.

“They become very territorial. I like to keep my distance from them – I don’t want to push it, they snarl and growl when you go anywhere near them but that’s their natural instincts.”

Carl with Tyson, an eight-month-old African Caracal

Before they go out into the massive enclosure in Carl’s back garden all of his animals live in his modest Florida home.

He added: “Your furniture pays the price as they’re very destructive but it’s important that they are socialised before going into the yard.

“We’ve got to get them used to being around people and other animals so inside the home is the best place for them.

“But as much as they are socialised they are still wild animals with wild instincts – these big cats will never be domesticated.

“But we have tigers and lions living together now – they would never

encounter each other in the wild and I don’t think they would get along if they did.”

Despite the obvious problems that come with sharing your life with such big cats Carl loves every minute of his job and is looking forward to expanding his Single Vision dream.

“Working with big cats is really inspiring and you really develop a love and a passion for them,” added Carl.

“You’re always learning – you learn through your experience how best to deal with them and that’s how you build a relationship with them.

“I would love to expand Single Vision and do more to help these beautiful animals survive for generations to come.”