Kristen Magno Photography

This is a brand new one that no one has seen yet. I decided to add it to my portfolio because it was just so darn cute, even though I have a ton of shots of the little ones sleeping. Taken September 2009 at Cango Wildlife Ranch, South Africa. 

Another shot of the precious bundles of joy taking their afternoon nap. Taken September 2009, Cango Wildlife Ranch, South Africa.

The first time I met the smallest baby cheetahs they were fast asleep. All three of them were curled up in little balls next to each other. I tried to capture their most preciousness. This is one of the shots I was able to get of the sweet, sweet little babies. Taken September 2009 at Cango Wildlife Ranch, South Africa.

This isn’t a tack sharp photo, but the symbolism in this photo depicts how I felt about my time working at Cango Wildlife Ranch in South Africa. I went as a volunteer to work with cheetahs, assuming they had been rescued and were “ambassadors” of conservation. Little did I know that the center was nothing more than a breeding center for zoos, a money making machine, disguised as a conservation society, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. These beautiful creatures were breeding machines for profit, locked in cages their entire lives, forced to breed, only to have their babies taken away from them year after year. Some of the babies, like this one, were hand raised by staff as profit ambassadors for the ranch. After spending most of their lives with humans, forming special bonds with their caregivers, once they were too big they were either sent to the breeding camp or sold to zoos and conservation societies around the world. These beautiful creatures, on the brink of extinction caused by humans are now forced to be slaves all in the name of saving their species. But who are we really saving the species for, them, or ourselves?

This picture struck me, not because it’s the typical picture of an exotic tiger but because of the raw emotion behind this rare and beautiful being. Most, I’m assuming, would look at this picture and say “oh what a pretty tiger, she looks tired,” but when I look into her eyes I see sadness, loneliness, and a sense of surrender to those keeping her captive. Yes it was amazing to get up close and personal with such amazing creatures, but these animals don’t belong in zoos, or reserves, they are certainly not pets, and should never been seen as a piece of furniture or fur coat. It breaks my heart that such creatures are raised, bought and sold and killed for nothing more than a remedy for a head cold or a few dollars earned. I truly wish that someday most (all) people would see animals the way I do, but until then I hope that through my photography people will appreciate their extraordinary uniqueness and preciousness.