Rare white Bengal tigers bare teeth at Brockton Fair

Lisa Lopez of Dallas grooms her white Bengal tigers with a shedding blade. She teaches them to bare their teeth when she feeds them pork, and she scolds them like naughty children.

Does she ever fear reprisal?

“Do you worry every time you get in a car?” she replies.. “You take chances with everything. At least I am doing what I love to do.”

Lopez is a white Bengal tiger handler, and her brood will be showcased at the Brockton Fair through July 7. This year is the first time the fair has hosted these exotic animals – hosting two adult tigers and two cubs.

White Bengal tigers have been extinct in the wild since 1958. Just 60 live in captivity in the United States, and about 500 remain in the world.

Tom Clifford, property manager of the fair, said the tigers give Brockton-area residents a rare chance to see this endangered, majestic animal.

“Lisa and I talked online over the winter and it seemed like a very good idea to bring more educational things to the fair,” said Clifford. “We are teaching people at the same time, and have more family-oriented type things.”

The Brockton Fair is open 2 p.m. to midnight until July 7 on Belmont Street (Route 123), Exit 17 off Route 24 in Brockton.

The tiger exhibit at the fair consists of a presentation and an opportunity for fairgoers to feed the tigers and take pictures.

“I’ll tell them all about the tiger, from the nose to the tail, and what it means to save the tiger, what we in America can do,” said Lopez.

On display are two 8-week-old cubs, along with their brother, Cozmo, age 3, and mother, Gita, 13.

Dana Trismen may be reached at dtrismen@enterprisenews.com.

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