自由之丘(ó㉨ò)ﾉ♡

美國「真人版泰山」，從小和野生動物一起長大。(圖／達志影像／迪士尼)

2011年5月17日 09:50  記者林育綾／綜合報導

在樹枝間盪來盪去，跟猩猩手牽手、跟大象一起淋浴、和獅子老虎睡在同一張床、把黑熊當成泰迪熊抱在懷裡。這些都發生在美國「真人版泰山」柯弟‧安特爾 (Kody Antle) 的身上！

今年21歲的Kody 有一身健壯的肌肉，從小跟隨父親住在美國南卡羅萊州莫特爾濱海的野生動物保護園區「T.I.G.E.R.S.」，因為他的父親正是這間園區的志工醫師，與團隊一起致力於保護珍稀動物。

▲真人版泰山小時候，把真正的黑熊當成泰迪熊抱在懷裡。

▲從小和動物們一起玩耍，這就是「真人版泰山」Kody Antle 的童年。 (圖／達志影像)

在Kody 年僅7歲時母親就過世了，回憶起童年，他說「陪伴在我身邊的都是老虎、獅子、大象、長臂猿、狼、豹、獵豹、熊…。」而人生的第一個記憶，則是在蹣跚學步時，有隻老虎寶寶爬得比自己還快！

▲Kody 的第一個記憶，是一隻老虎寶寶爬得比他還快！

事實上，老虎也長得比他快！　(圖／達志影像)

Kody 也說有個和自己一起長大、感情很好的姊姊名叫「泡泡」(Bubbles)，是隻4000公斤的非洲象；還有隻紅毛猩猩是他的弟弟。說完後Kody 一邊咯咯笑，一邊表示對自己的50歲的父親感到驕傲。還說，如果自己是「真人版泰山」，那父親就是真人版怪醫杜立德，很懂得動物的心思，為牠們付出一生，不求回報。

▲Kody 把野生動物們當作自己的兄弟姊妹。

▲父親為動物奉獻一生，Kody 感到很驕傲。

安特爾醫師──也就是Kody 的父親表示，可以替兒子舉出更多種他相處過的動物。「因為在他年幼時，我幫他拍了很多跟動物們的合照。」其中印象最深刻的一張，是Koby 完全裸體躺在地毯上，幾隻孟加拉小老虎像棉被一樣，替他蓋住肚子，剛好遮住了『重點部位』。

▲老虎們就像棉被一樣，剛好替Koby 遮住了重要部位。
（圖片皆由達志影像提供，未經授權禁止取用）

現在Kody 也跟隨父親在野生動物保護園區內工作，照顧67隻老虎和其他動物。他可以輕鬆地哄一隻幼虎入睡，當他抓著小老虎的後頸，將牠懸在空中搖擺，只見老虎寶寶馬上全身放鬆、變得懶洋洋。Kody 說「這不難，只要掌握動物習性。」

影片：真人版泰山Kody 長大後Kody Antle The "Real Life Tarzan"

原文網址: 真人版泰山！　從小與野獸一起洗澡睡覺 | 頭條新聞 | NOWnews 今日新聞網 http://www.nownews.com/2011/05/17/11490-2712809.htm#ixzz1N6h4rGl0

English News

Modern Day Tarzan Seeks Jane

abc news May 13, 2011

The Bengal tiger cubs are crawling all over Kody Antle. The sinewy 21-year-old scans down and grabs the scruff of the white one, known as a Siberian.

Mimicking the way mother tigers carry their young, his grip is firm, but not hard, and the weeks-old tiger begins to loll.

Dangling in the air he seems hypnotized, as Kody brings him down begins to scratch his belly -- not missing a beat.

Kody calls himself the "real Tarzan." The scion of a wild animal empire built by his father Baghavan "Doc" Antle, Kody's first friends were tiger cubs, plunked into his crib.

His big sister growing up was Bubbles, the 9,000-pound African elephant. His diapers were changed alongside those the gentle orangutans here who also became siblings.

"I prefer being called the real-life Tarzan," he says a little later, walking a 350-pound Bengal on a chain.

"I really believe I have some otherly connection with these animals because way I've been raised. We have this Tarzan-like connection…"

Where the fictional character went for the loincloth-look, Kody opts for safari gear and cargo pants. But he does have that mane of hair, that most often is bound in a neat pony-tail half way down his back.

A Day in the Life of the 'Real' Tarzan

Kody's job is to work with the 67 adult tigers, and myriad other animals at the Myrtle Beach Safari in Florida, the privately owned preserve founded by his father, which boasts the world's biggest assortment of tigers.

Several days a week the safari hosts shows in which Kody plays with tigers in a pool, howls with wolves and charges in on an elephant.

The cost is $200 per person, plus another $150 for the full gamut of videos and pictures.

Pretty steep, but as Kody explains, there are few other places in the world where one can take pictures with live tigers and orangutans.

Riding on Bubbles the African elephant, he explains, it's not about him, it's "about you making the connection of places where she is from… deeper connection with that thing, deeper connection with wildlife."

Gesturing down towards Bubbles as he clutched one of her beach umbrella-sized ears, he adds, "one can't help but have a piece of the wild up here in your hand."

Kody and his father often take Bubbles for a swim in the Intercoastal.

The dogs in the development through which she walks are so used to her they no longer bother to bark, though boaters do stop and snap pictures as she hoists Kody and this reporter in and out of the water with her trunk.

It's a good life. All that's missing is a Jane.

Kody has had numerous relationships lately, but none have lasted.

"I suppose I'd need my Jane to be athletic, but also tolerant of this lifestyle," he says, and the endless work and dedication it entails.

For one, when Kody goes out he has to leave his baby Gibbons ape Nyama with a baby-sitter.

And not everyone wants to wake up covered in ape fur and heave 500 pounds of meat into tigers mouths every day.

But Kody seems confident his Jane will arrive… someday.. .

read more : http://abcnews.go.com/US/modern-day-tarzan-seeks-jane/story?id=13597484