Swimming with Tigers

Tigers are known as the best swimmers of all the big cats with modified webbing between their toes to make their feet more like flippers. But The Institute of Greatly Endangered and Rare Species, or Tigers, near Miami, claims to have overcome the problem by encouraging both tigers and humans to swim together in a specially adapted pool.

Traditionally, trainers have struggled to build an attachment with the largest of the big cats. Despite the apparent danger, the trainers are never at risk. They've found that in the water people and tigers are on a more equal footing.

The hand-reared tigers are introduced to the water a few months after birth and the trainers then give one-on-one tuition to each of the animals while they are in the water.

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