WILD ANIMALS IN CAPTIVITY 
to use these trees, consequently the claws have grown 
into the pads, and unless they are cut off the animal will 
become hopelessly lame and suffer a great amount of 
torture. 
It is no child’s play to perform the operation of cutting 
off the talons, for, in the first place, the creature makes 
all the resistance possible in his power, and, by reason of 
his great strength and activity, is not a little dangerous. 
The keepers endeavour to catch both front feet of the 
animal in straps that have a slip-knot ; the tighter it is 
pulled the more firmly the foot can be held, and then 
drawn forward between the bars of the cage. The operator, 
armed with a pair of sharp cutting nippers, accomplishes 
the operation and gives the relief required. In perform- 
ing this operation there is a risk of the animal, when so 
treated, biting the iron bars and to thus endanger the 
breaking of his teeth. In order to prevent this biting 
occurring one of the attendants is provided with a long 
pole or bar of wood which he thrusts in front of the 
animal’s mouth, so that he may fix his teeth into the 
wood and thus prevent them being broken. If the 
same animal has been operated upon two or three 
times, although a year may have elapsed between each 
operation, I have found that the beast offers less resist- 
ance each time ; I think that probably the creature 
becomes accustomed to the operation, and, moreover, I 
think the brute knows it to be done for his benefit and 
relief. 
The skin of a lion or tiger is so tough that the claws 
are sometimes either broken off when fighting or com- 
pletely torn out. 
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