Meet Chili

Our spot on the dock at the Danga Bay Marina in Johor Bahru, Malaysia was the farthest away from the marina building, but closest to something more awesome- Chili Pepper.

The first time I saw Chili was while walking down the dock toward our boat, which was at the very end. Actually I heard her first, as she barked at anyone coming down the dock. I could often hear her barking in the middle of the night to warn her owners, Chris and Lynn, that someone was approaching.

Chris and Lynn are from South Africa and have been cruising for 12 years. They are pretty handy when it comes to boat maintenance, and work along the way fixing things for other boats. They used to have another dog many years ago, but she got seasick and didn't really like boat life, so they found a good home for her and went a few years without a canine companion. Having a pet on board can make clearing in to some countries a bit of a hassle and Australia has the strictest rules, so Chris and Lynn waited until they were already in Australia to get another dog. They got Chili, and it's very obvious how much they both love her.

Although Chili is only 6 months old, she's very smart and already knows sit, down, and shake. She has a turf grass mat on the bow of the boat for doing her business underway and will go up there even during choppy weather. In really bad storms, Chili stays out of the way down below and cuddles with her favorite toy- a stuffed monkey. She's very friendly with everyone and liked to play chase along the docks. She's also very useful for protecting her boat. Lynn said that many times people will avoid their boat if they hear Chili barking!

I often knew when Chili was on the dock because I could hear Chris saying, "Chili don't chew the dock, they'll ask us to leave!" or 'C'mon Chili, don't make me come get you." when she thought it was too hot to go for a walk. She was a very cute little dog, and I looked forward to going back to the boat because there was a good chance Chili would be there to greet me... and pee on the dock from excitement.

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Manu: Street Fighter Turned Softie

On our recent trip to the Singapore Zoo, I was watching the cheetahs being fed when I noticed one of the cheetahs staring intently into the water at the front of their enclosure.  Two of the keepers went to investigate and when they returned I asked what was down there.  One of them said it was probably a lizard, and from that initial question we struck up a very interesting conversation.

The keeper's name is Manu.  He is short, very muscular, has a shaved head, and tattoos cover both arms and his neck.  His job at the zoo: Big Cat Keeper.

Manu told me about his life outside the zoo, and how he used to fight a lot on the streets and be pretty confrontational.  When he started at the zoo he used to work with other keepers, but it soon became clear that he didn't work well with others.  He was banished (or so he tells it) to work by himself as the Polar Bear Keeper.  He was surprised when he forged a strong bond with the only polar bear at the zoo, an older male named Nanook.  He says he used to pet him on the nose and Nanook knew when Manu called his name.  Unfortunately, Nanook died in late December 1995 from heart and lung disease.  Manu visibly choked up when he told us that part of his tale.  The zoo, knowing they had an extremely competent (if abrasive) keeper on their hands, transferred him to the big cats, where he became the lead keeper.

Now, Manu runs Big Cat Country, making sure all the cats - jaguars, white tigers, lions, cheetahs, pumas, and leopards - are happy and well-fed.  He told me many stories, all of which were very exciting.  Let me retell them:

Manu doesn't trust the jaguars, especially the female, Angel.  She's very crafty and has actually escaped a couple times during zoo hours!  Once, she launched herself through the small door at the top of her enclosure's cage roof after a junior keeper fed the jaguars through it.  The junior keeper called Manu up the ladder, not telling him that Angel was loose.  So Manu climbs the ladder and comes face to face with a jaguar!  He calmly climbed down the ladder, and then told the two junior keepers that were still on the roof with Angel to choose - they could jump down and maybe break their legs, or stay up there and maybe lose their lives!  Needless to say, they jumped and were fine (and they eventually re-caught Angel).

On the infrequent occasion that one of his charges does escape, Manu also has to deal with zoo guests.  He told me of one time when Angel escaped (she's a troublemaker!) and how people wanted to go towards her enclosure to see her!  Manu told them that if they wanted to get killed by a jaguar that was their choice, but would they please leave their children outside the zoo entrance.

He also told me a story about the African hunting dogs.  Even though they're not big cats, Manu helps out all over the zoo.  He and another keeper went into the hunting dogs enclosure to clean it.  The male dogs thought they were infringing on their territory and their females, and moved in to attack.  Manu and the other keeper managed to back away and out the door, but it was still an experience.  Hunting dogs take their prey down by going for their legs first and ripping the muscles out.  Then they move upwards, tearing out their victim's guts.  And they hunt in packs!

Manu loves and respects all the big cats, and they respect him.  He told me that the male lion, however, has a bit of a dominance issue.  The lion thinks that Manu is trying to be the pride leader and steal his females, and doesn't like him too much.  Manu said that if the lion were to escape, and he and I were standing next to each other directly in his path, I could feel perfectly safe because the lion would surely go for Manu.  He joked (maybe) that he asked the other cat keepers to call him immediately if the lion escapes, even if he's at home, because he's sure the lion will come for him wherever he is.

Manu is so involved with the big cats that while he can name every single cat in the Singapore Zoo, he sometimes forgets family member's birthdays.  But working with such deadly creatures has been a good thing for him.  He says they keep him grounded and focused, and are excellent counselors.  He plans on retiring soon but is worried that the next lead keeper won't measure up to his high standards.  And while caring for the big cats does require a lot of attention, diligence, and knowing the big cats' every need, it also takes a good measure of confidence and bravery.  So while the cats hold a special place in Manu's heart, he is definitely still one of the toughest guys in the zoo.

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