27 Comments

Sonja this is such a wonderful read! Thank you for sharing your story.. I can’t wait to read the next parts.

My husband is a zoo keeper and I had the pleasure of feeding leopards earlier in the year.. Including the sweetest cub that was born last year.

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Oh my gosh no way!! Your husband is a zookeeper that is SO COOL, I'm so happy you got to feed some baby leopard cubs.. what an absolute dream. They are such incredible creatures to be around <33 Thank you for reading!

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Oh they really are! Such a special moment!

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Jun 14Liked by sonja ringo

What an adventure! Holy shit, those centipedes...I thought the leopards must have been scary at first (and I'm sure they were), but I also see that they are incredibly similar to (playful/temperamental) house cats, just much bigger and more powerful (and wilder, even these in captivity, I'm sure). How cool that you passed their test! But yeah, the centipedes...sounds like playing that oldschool Alien Invaders arcade game but in real life, in the shower, continuing to attack even when severed...

I bet the leopards in the rain made you a better poet.

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The leopards in the rain absolutely made me a better poet 🥲🥲 What a sweet notion and it rings so true. The whole continuing to attack when severed things REALLY affected me & still does when I think about it lol, it is WAY too creepy!!! Ahhh!!

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I love reading these stories about all your exhilarating travels around the world! "Was a foster mother to a family of leopards" is such a badass thing to have on your resume. LOL to the dirtbag A/C and I screamed on the inside about the centipede, ahhh!!! Can't wait for part two 🦁

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Ahhh thank you so much for coming along on this memory-journey with me!! It truly means so much to me that you read it <3 Dirtbag A/C for life ahahaha!!

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Jun 13·edited Jun 13Liked by sonja ringo

BRAVE! For the bugs in the jungle, the chicken guts, the giant cats - and for sharing in such a vulnerable way. I'm scared of just those gorgeous cats. Inspiring.

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Thank you!! For calling me brave, for reading this post, for being here! Honestly the bugs were scarier than the leopards ahahaha but the scariest thing of all.. was the retired fighter chicken who tormented the staff living quarters 😭😭 LOL

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Jun 12Liked by sonja ringo

WOW Ringy!! I loved every word from this journey and am so grateful to experience some of these precious and unforgettable moments through your eyes! XOXO

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Gelfy!! My heart is soaring that you read this piece! I was just following in your footsteps, since you and Tophy are the OG big cat dwellers 🐆🐆 Wildest Animals forever and ever!!

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What an amazing experience!! And really well written. Thanks for sharing. How thrilling to pass a vibe check from a group of leopards.

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It means so much to me that you read it!! <3 Thank you, thank you!

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Jun 11Liked by sonja ringo

wow 🤩 this sounds like such an incredible experience. i am no dying to have a leopard puddle onto my lap 🐆

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It was truly a remarkable wrinkle in time for me 🥲 So happy that you came along for the re-living of it with me!

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This is so beautiful to hear such a special and unique moment in time! I dearly enjoyed it ❤️!

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I rly appreciate you being here & reading this special little memoir piece! You're the best <3

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Jun 11Liked by sonja ringo

this is incredible, sonja 🐆

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I'm so happy you read this <3 thank you my dear!!

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This is so special & sacred! Thank you for sharing with the world. I want to cuddle the kittiessssss.

Um, and those centipedes...sound absolutely terrifying.

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Thanks so much for reading this, my friend <33 That means a lot to me!! It hurts a little bit to go through all the pics and not be able to cuddle them anymore 😭😭 but happy to be continents away from the centipedes xoxoxo

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Looks like fun! Especially the "Big Cat Garden." Those leopards look like 300lb house cats 😂

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Hahahah I loved that it was called a Garden.. garden of giant cats lol! They really are oversized house cats in basically every way <33

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Jun 11Liked by sonja ringo

Omg these are so precious!!! Their EYES 😍😍😍😍😍😍 thank you for sharing this beautiful part of your life with us!

I cannot wait to read more!

PS: I am torn between googling those giant centipedes because I just can't picture them charging at someone 😱 and also not wanting to have nightmares 🤮

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Their eyes are such eternal pools of magic, aren't they?? I cannot get enough of them!! Thank you so much for reading this, Nadia <3 Re: centipedes.... google if you dare ahahah I will say nightmares are GUARANTEED lmao!!

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Jun 11Liked by sonja ringo

Your writing got me hooked! Hugs! Yourfan

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Thank you for always believing in my writing <33 since I was just a little 18 year old!! Love you Lorna

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