Carl Bovard is passionate about the future of big cats like tigers, lions, and panthers. As a way of fighting for their future, Bovard opened a sanctuary, Single Vision, in Florida for these big cats. Oh, but did we mention that the 43-year-old Bovard is half blind?
Meet Carl Bovard. 13-years-ago Bovard suffered a terrible accent that left him completely blind.
After some time spent recovering, Bovard eventually regained sight in one of his eyes. During his time in complete blindness Bovard said what he missed most of all was seeing animals.
Shortly thereafter he adopted his first two tiger cubs and founded his non-profit sanctuary for big cats, Single Vision.
Bovard runs Single Vision from his home in Melrose, Florida. His 274-acre property serves as a sanctuary for the big cats.
When animals come to Bovard’s sanctuary they spend their first few months living inside his house.
He says this is to make sure they’re properly socialized before they’re released into the scantuary with the rest of the animals.
Bovard’s mission with Single Vision is to raise awareness of the plight of these big cats in the wild. He often welcomes tours and visitors to the sanctuary.
Despite his vision, Bovard plays rough with his cats. His sanctuary currently hosts two lions, two bobcats, two Bengal tigers, two Siberian tigers, and an Asian black leopard.
While Bovard says he has a good relationship with all the animals, he has had a couple of close calls.
“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 said.
Still though Bovard plans to continue his mission of preserving a future for these big cats for as long as he can.
(H/T: The Daily Mail)
No matter what risks he encounters day-to-day, a lot of what Bovard does is truly brave. If you’d like to support Single Vision or learn more about the cause, check out its Facebook page.
