Stellababy

Big cats, bears, art, and a chance to make a real difference—this is where you come in! Hey everyone! My name is Katie, and I’m a content producer and photographer at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge—a fully accredited sanctuary dedicated to giving rescued exotic cats and bears the true sanctuary they deserve. This year, I’m honored to represent TCWR in the People’s Artist Contest, presented by Johnny Depp—and the animals and I need your support! Public voting begins May 4th and continues through May 14th. You can cast one free vote every day, and additional votes can be made through donations. Every vote helps shine a spotlight on the lifesaving work we do for these incredible animals. Your support means more than you know—not just to me, but to every rescued resident who calls TCWR home. Mark your calendars, spread the word, and help us make an impact! Link to vote: peoplesartist.org/2026/katie-lock #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Sanctuary #SanctuaryLife #contest #ContestAlert #ContestTime #art #artist

@histories_arch This is a really interesting book about events around this location and time. Thomas Jefferson’s nephews were awful people.

It was two in the morning on December 16, 1811, when the sleeping towns of the Mississippi Valley were swallowed by something ancient and terrifying. No warning. No rumble building slowly in the distance. Just a sudden, savage lurch that threw men and women out of their beds and sent furniture crashing across the floor. Children screamed. Dogs howled. The cold December air filled with the sound of splintering timber and exploding brick. People ran barefoot into frozen fields, wearing nothing but nightclothes, watching their homes shake apart in the darkness. The ground beneath them was no longer solid. It moved in waves, like the surface of a lake struck by a stone. Massive fissures tore open in the earth, some wide enough to swallow a man, then slammed shut again. Sand and water exploded upward in geysers thirty feet high. Out on the Mississippi River, a Scottish naturalist named John Bradbury was traveling by boat. The quake hurled him from his bunk. When he clawed his way onto the deck, he witnessed something that defied every law of nature he had ever learned. The river had stopped. The mighty Mississippi, draining half a continent, sat momentarily still. Then it began to flow the other way. Upstream. Boats were dragged backward. Vessels collided in the chaos. Riverbanks caved into the churning water. Islands that had stood for generations disappeared beneath the surface. That was only the first act. On January 23, 1812, the earth struck again, possibly with even greater force. Survivors who had begun rebuilding watched their repairs collapse in seconds. Then came February 7, the most violent blow of all. Estimated between magnitude 7.7 and 8.1, the shaking was felt across fifty thousand square miles. Church bells rang spontaneously in Boston, more than a thousand miles away. Clocks stopped mid-swing in South Carolina. People stumbled through the streets of Washington D.C., convinced the city was under attack. In western Tennessee, an entire forest sank into the earth and filled with water. Within days, a lake fifteen thousand acres wide had appeared from nothing. Reelfoot Lake. It still exists today. The New Madrid Seismic Zone never went quiet. It is still active. Memphis sits directly above it. St. Louis lies within its reach. Seismologists put the odds of another magnitude-7 quake in the next fifty years at somewhere between seven and ten percent. The infrastructure of the central United States, bridges, pipelines, power grids, was never designed for this kind of violence. Damage estimates for a repeat event exceed three hundred billion dollars. Most Americans have never heard of New Madrid. The fault has not forgotten us. 📷© United States Geological Survey (Restored & Colorized) © The History Drop #archaeohistories

** Happy Birthday to Nabisco Bobcat ** Nabisco is a spirited bobcat with a lively personality. He delights in scent enrichment, often enthusiastically rolling around in it. Yesterday was Nabisco Bobcat's 10th birthday. Yesterday was also Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge's 34th anniversary. This is a great time visit the sanctuary as the cats enjoy the Spring weather so come on out to take a tour and enjoy the Discovery Area. #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Sanctuary #SanctuaryLife #bobcat #wildcats #nabisco #happybirthday #birthday #birthdayboy

Just a bear, her log, and a perfectly peaceful afternoon. 💚 Lolli is perched up on her favorite log, simply soaking in the sights, sounds, and sweet forest smells like the queen of the woods she is. 🐻🌿 Show Lollie some love by saying, "Good Afternoon," to her. #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Sanctuary #SanctuaryLife #BlackBear #BearLife #bear #bears #happybears #rescuedbears #Woods #natural #nature #wildlife #PeacefulMoments

Meet Louisa (Cougar, Puma, MountainLion, Catamount) Before their rescue, Louisa Cougar and her sister Marissa were used for cub petting and arrived at the Refuge at just three months old. Now fully grown, Louisa enjoys running the length of her habitat alongside her sister. She is a bit quieter and less active than Marissa, often choosing to nap on their multi-level platform when she’s not happily tearing into cardboard boxes—her favorite enrichment. Louisa’s lighter coloring also helps distinguish her from her sister, Marissa. 🐾 Louisa's Story Species: Cougar (Puma concolor) DOB: June 30, 2016 Sex: Female Arrival Date: September 30, 2016 Louisa arrived at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) with 33 other animals during the Colorado Project of 2016-2017. TCWR acquired a closing, 12-acre roadside establishment with 115 animals living in deplorable conditions with minimal veterinary care. Due to health issues, the previous owner needed to find a new home for all the animals he had acquired. Many enclosures had access doors made of rotting plywood and a padlock to contain these apex predators. Additionally, they existed on compacted dirt and woodchips with nails, with little shade from the glaring eastern Colorado sun. Our team worked on-site for six months and collaborated with other accredited Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries (GFAS) sanctuaries to transport and provide lifelong refuge to these animals. During this period, TCWR assisted in founding the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance (BCSA) to unite accredited sanctuaries for future rescues and to educate and provide awareness to the public about the plight of the growing wild cat crisis. #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Sanctuary #SanctuaryLife #morning #goodmorning #morningvibes #morningroutine #haveagoodday #bio #storytelling #storyteller #rescuestory #cougar #mountainlion #panther #catamount #puma #pianter

Meet Black Leopard Axle Species: Leopard (Panthera pardus) DOB: September 25, 2011 Sex: Male Arrival Date: May 22, 2025 In May 2025, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) responded to a critical rescue after a California facility lost its permit due to repeated animal welfare violations. Partnering with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, TCWR helped rescue and relocate eight wild animals—including Axle the leopard—to lifelong sanctuary at the Refuge. Axle had to be sedated to ensure safe loading for transport. While under sedation, our veterinary team performed an initial exam and discovered he was missing a random claw. He did not have a microchip, so we inserted one during this exam. His USDA records show he has advanced kidney disease and a heart murmur, requiring ongoing specialized care. Axle was placed in a medium-sized cat habitat in Freedom Field, which we designed specifically for wild cats like leopards. This space provides soft, natural ground and ample room for cats to move comfortably and safely. Despite his medical challenges, Axle has a calm and resilient spirit. Thanks to your support, he receives expert veterinary care, a specialized diet tailored to his kidney condition, and compassionate daily attention. #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Sanctuary #SanctuaryLife #bio #storytelling #storyteller #rescuestory #axle #blackcat

Good morning, friends! Bagheera is feeling a bit sleepy and ready for his morning catnap—but “people watching” is just a little too entertaining to drift off just yet. 🖤 We want to take a moment to thank each and every one of you who watches our videos, likes, comments, and shares them. Did you know those simple actions actually help generate support for the care of the 120+ rescued animals who call Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge home? Your time, your engagement, and your support truly make a difference—and we are so grateful for each of you. 🐾 YOU make what we do here possible!! #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Bagheera #jaguar #blackcat #morning #peoplewatching #sanctuary #snactuarylife #sleepycat

How do you start you day? Axle, our black leopard, has spotted one of his favorite keepers, Jason—and he’s on his way over to say hello. 🐾 #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Axle #blackcat #leopard #sanctuary

Did someone tell Lady Bird that the World Cup is coming to town??? ⚽️😂 📸: Keeper Christine

Afternoon bathtime for a handsome caracal cat named Zeus. Zeus the Caracal's Story DOB: July 25, 2015 Sex: Male Arrival Date: May 22, 2025 In May 2025, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) was called to assist in a critical rescue operation following the denial of a facility’s permit renewal due to repeated animal welfare violations. Working in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, TCWR helped confiscate and transport eight wild animals—Zeus among them—to the safety of the Refuge. Before his rescue, Zeus spent years living on bare dirt and, later, on cold concrete. Today, likely for the first time, he feels soft grass under his paws and is surrounded by the beauty of the Ozarks. Zeus’s journey hasn’t been easy. He suffers from neurological challenges believed to stem from a past car accident. With plates and screws in his body, he moves with an awkward gait, holding all four legs apart for balance. But here at TCWR, Zeus is not just surviving—he’s healing. Thanks to your sponsorship, Zeus receives critical veterinary attention, a diet tailored to his specific health needs, and enriching experiences that let him express his natural behaviors. Every day, he grows more confident and curious in his new world. #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #Zeus #sanctuary #sanctuarylife #catbath

Go behind the scenes of rescue. 🐾 This full-length documentary offers a powerful look at the large-scale rescues that brought 9 tigers, 10 lions, a leopard, a serval, a caracal, and a rare fishing cat to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. These are the moments the public doesn’t often see—the urgency, the coordination, and the unwavering commitment to give each animal a second chance at life. In honor of NWA Gives Day, this documentary is available to watch free for 24 hours on April 9, 2026. youtube.com/watch?v=gNHMpf… Your support makes rescues like these possible—and ensures every animal receives lifelong care in a true sanctuary. Watch. Learn. Be part of the mission. 💚 #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #nwa #nwagives #documentary #special #behindthescenes

** WAIT FOR IT ** Tanya Tiger has a BIG SURPRISE waiting for you! LOL!! #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #WaitForIt #whitetiger #tiger #whitetiger #tanya #tigers #surprise

Thunder Bear is out making his rounds—exploring his habitat and enjoying the day while keeping a hopeful eye out for a very important delivery… 🐻🍃 Those Fig Newtons are a favorite, and he knows they’re coming. What he doesn’t know is that they also help ensure he’s getting the care he needs, with medications carefully tucked inside. Moments like this are part of the thoughtful, individualized care each resident receives—where even the important things come with a little extra sweetness. #TurpentineCreek #TCWR #GFAS #sanctuary #sanctuarylife #BlackBear #AnimalCare

Fred Tiger is making the most of a warm afternoon… one icy, refreshing bite at a time. 🐅❄️ Enrichment like this isn’t just a treat—it supports natural behaviors and helps keep residents comfortable and engaged throughout the day. And here’s something special—when you watch this video all the way to the end, you’re helping support Fred and the other rescued animals who call the refuge home. 💚 So go ahead… stay with Fred until the last bite. We promise it’s worth it. 😄 #TurpentineCreek #TCWR #GFAS #sanctuary #sanctuarylife #TigerLife #Enrichment #tigers #treats #snacks

Evening at the refuge comes with a soundtrack… and Samson is leading the chorus. 🦁🌙 With a powerful roar, he calls out—and before long, another lion answers back. Is it a conversation? A roll call? Or the start of a full-on lion karaoke session? We may never know… but we do know it’s one of the most incredible sounds to experience as the day winds down. What do you think they’re saying to each other? 😄 #TurpentineCreek #TCWR #GFAS #LionLife #SanctuarySounds #EveningAtTheRefuge #evening #lions #sanctuary #caroling #roar #happysounds #cats #catlife

Kyro is taking full advantage of a quiet moment… just lounging, relaxing, and enjoying the day at his own pace. 🐾💛 At the refuge, moments like these are everything. #TurpentineCreek #TCWR #GFAS #SanctuaryLife #BigCatMoments #Kyro #quietmoments #sanctuary

Duchess has a message this morning… and it starts with a very big yawn. 🐅💤 Slow, quiet mornings like this are her favorite—and ours too. #TurpentineCreek #TigerLife #SanctuaryMoments #MorningYawn #goodmorning #morningroutine #sanctuary

Lakota the ti-liger is easing into the day the best way he knows how… one slow stretch and a contented yawn. 🐾💛 Peaceful mornings like this are what sanctuary is all about. #TurpentineCreek #SanctuaryLife #BigCatMoments #MorningYawn #TCWR #GFAS #morning #goodmorning #sanctuary

Good afternoon from Smalls the bobcat 🐾💚 This adorable girl is making the most of her favorite log—rubbing, marking, and claiming it as her own. Thanks to our animal care and maintenance teams, Smalls has a new naturalistic addition to her habitat, giving her even more opportunities to express her wild instincts. And Smalls? She’s clearly a fan. 😻 If you’re loving this bobcat as much as we are, tap that share button and post this video to your page! Every view, like, comment, and share helps generate funds that go directly toward the care of Smalls and all 126 rescued animals who call Turpentine Creek home—including big cats, bears, and even a hyena. Your engagement makes a real difference. 💚🐅 #TCWR #GFAS #TurpentineCreek #sanctuary #sanctuarylife #enrichment #adorable #cutecat #cuteanimals #goodafternoon

I thought I knew the story of the "lost world" off the east coast of Britain, inhabited by Mesolithic people until rising sea waters engulfed it around 8,000 years ago... But I didn't know about the *tsunami*. Holy hell. 1/