Sara has been working with tigers for a year. | ZOOM |

        How do you talk to the animals? When that animal happens to be a 500-pound Bengal tiger, you listen very, very carefully. If that tiger happens to be cranky, you leave him alone.

        Good advice from a woman who gets into a cage with eight of these giant felines every night — and without whips, guns or other protection.

        Sara, the Tiger Whisperer, is the 23-year-old star of this year's Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Greatest Show on Earth, which is coming to Firstar Center this week. A performer since age 2, Sara is the daughter of a famous French animal trainer and a former professional dancer. We reached her by phone at a tour stop in Raleigh, N.C., to discuss her circus experiences and her training techniques.

IF YOU GO

• What: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus.   • When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday; 11:30 a.m., 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday; 1 and 5 p.m. Sunday. One-hour Three Ring Adventure preshow for families.   • Where: Firstar Center.   • Tickets: $9-$35 at www.ticketmaster.com, Firstar Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, or (513) 562-4949.

        Question: You've been in the ring with all kinds of animals — horses, rhinos, hippos, zebras, camels. Why are you focusing on tigers?

        Answer: Well, I've been working with tigers for one year now. I had been wanting to do something different and thought “maybe tigers,” but the opportunity never came up.

        Then, I found out that Ringling was looking for a tiger trainer and I decided to take the opportunity right away. I had been traveling from circus to circus in Europe, but now I'm just with Ringling.

        Q: Weren't you scared the first time you got in the cage with the tigers?

        A: I was pretty nervous the first time. I kept thinking “I hope I'm not going to chicken out at the last moment.” But after I did it the first time, it wasn't so bad.

        I spent three months just concentrating on the relationship between me and the cats. They would approach me and I would touch them. It's more they come and approach me before I try anything with them.

        Q: Explain your act.

        A: All the tricks are based on natural behaviors designed from watching them interact when they are cubs and how they act in the wild. They roll over, stand up on hind legs, sit down.

        Although they have stools that they sit on, that's not a trick, it's so I know where they are. That's how the act always has been.

        Q: Why do they call you the Tiger Whisperer?

        A: It's a kind of communication between me and the tigers. It's called wuffling and sounds like a purr — if they do it to me I know I can go up to them. They do it back constantly. I know they are in a good mood and want to be approached.

        I do a lot of touching and holding them. If they react differently, I know they are not in the mood and should not be approached.

        Q: Where did you learn that particular technique?

        A: The owner of the tigers, Josip Marcan. He trained me.

        Q: Any close calls?

        A: No, never.

        Q: What is the weirdest thing you've put in a tiger's mouth?

        A: Oh, we don't do that anymore. We don't use chairs or pistols. Having a female tiger trainer is different. It's more quiet, soft. It's more about the relationship than anything else.

        Q: When you meet non-circus people, are they shocked by what you do for a living?

        A: Of course their first reaction is always “Oh my god.” Then, they think it's the best job in the world.

        Q: What do you like most about circus life?

        A: Oh, there is so much that I love — the traveling around, the animals, the people.

        Q: Least?

        A: Getting ready for the show — putting on makeup and my costume.

        Q: Have you ever met the Horse Whisperer?

        A: No, I haven't, but I've heard its a similar kind of technique. It's the way I've been doing (the training) all my life. I feed the tigers meat from my hands, not from a stick. It's the way I think is right and I'm not going to change it.

        Q: That brings us to our next question. What is the tiger's favorite food?

        A: They eat mostly beef and chicken. We feed them chicken liver for vitamins and sometimes deer. I know who likes what — some prefer beef, others chicken. It has to balance out.

        Q: Any advice for someone who has a problem pet in their life?

        A: You just need so much patience to work with animals. I have an American Cocker spaniel — she chewed up everything in my apartment. I guess I'm not that good with dogs.
       

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