Trying to assimilate to life in captivity was a daunting task for any wild beast brough to a nature reserve. How well and how quickly they accomplished that varied, depending a lot on each species’ nature. Some, like Dallas and Brutus, didn’t think too hard about where they lived, as long as their basic needs were satisfied, while others, like Soto, were more tricky. But almost none of them had any experience with humans, bar a few. Martha the mammoth had two unpleasant run-ins with ice age hunters, but not enough to stop her from adjusting to a captive life, especially after the park’s staff had shown her repeated gestures of unconditional altruism and kindness. But another ice age beast residing at the park was much wearier of humans, which manifested itself in open hostility. Most keepers working at zoos or wildlife sanctuaries likely had a few nerve-wrecking experiences where a big cat who seemed passive or disinterested would suddenly lunge at them, accompanied by a terrifying