THE TAMING OF YOUNG ANIMALS 213 



ceased to be petted and handled, I have seen them welcome their 

 original owner. The same difficulty exists with carnivores which 

 have grown up as with the large apes. The danger of continuing 

 to treat them with unconcern is too great, as the result of a fit of 

 temper or a sudden fright might very readily be fatal to those 

 who had rashly ventured within their reach. It is certain, more- 

 over, that they distinguish acutely between persons, and an animal 

 that is quite tame with one keeper or person may be extremely 

 dangerous with others. They are extremely nervous, and the 

 slightest hesitation or want of resolution in approaching them 

 may alarm them and cause trouble. It is not quite certain, there- 

 fore, what would be the result of the experiment of continuing to 

 treat fully grown lions, tigers, bears and so forth with the same 

 familiarity as when they were cubs. With the smaller wild carni- 

 vores, however, there is no doubt that as they become adult the 

 natural instincts of predaceous creatures armed for destruction 

 tend to overrule their tameness. They cease to have complete 

 confidence in their owners, become wary and intensely suspicious 

 and wholly unsafe, at least with strangers. Even creatures so near 

 the dog as wolves, dingos and foxes, and most of the small carni- 

 vores, have to be given up as pets when they are adult. This is 

 simply following the natural order of events. In the wild condition, 

 apart from the influence of man, they are gentle and affectionate 

 when they are young, but when they are fully grown have to display 

 habits more suited for the unfriendly world in which they live. 

 Human influence retards but does not prevent this inevitable and 

 necessary change. 



Although I am inclined to admit, reluctantly, the truth of the 

 general belief that the friendliness of carnivores is an episode of 

 their youth, there are two other well-known popular beliefs about 

 them for which I have found no evidence. The first is the supposed 

 change in their habits at night. I have again and again been told, 

 with regard to young tame animals in my own possession, that 

 they might be safe by day, but that at night their prowling, 

 savage instincts would awaken, and that they would seize me by 

 the throat. I have often gone at night to play with nearly full- 

 grown young leopards, both the common leopards and snow 

 leopards, which knew me by day, and I have found them as 

 friendly and as gentle then as at any other time. A young tame 

 caracal slept nightly on a towel alongside my pillow until it was 

 nearly a year old, and although it was sometimes restless and 



