Borges rescued two tigers from a circus eight years ago and built a sanctuary in his garden before launching a breeding programme. He was forced to call an end to it when the authorities realised he was breeding the big cats without a permit.
Borges, 43, said: 'I was never worried about my daughters co-existing with these animals. 'You have to show the animals respect and love - that's how you get it back from them.'
He and his daughters Nayara, 20, Uyara, 23, and Deusanira, 24, walk the tigers on leads and feed meat directly into their mouths. They even allow them into their kitchen during mealtime and let them lounge around the house.
Incredibly, Uraya, who also works as a dog trainer, is happy for daughter Rayara to interact with the massive predators with minimal safety precautions. She said: 'Rayara loves playing with the tigers - she sees my dad interacting with them and she goes crazy.
'Every day since they were born we have taken care of them and fed them so their instincts become dormant. 'They are part of the family. I can't imagine life without them.'
Borges 八年前從馬戲團手上拯救了兩隻老虎，後來牠們繁衍後代，使得家中老虎成員越來越多，他們一家本來與老虎們過著幸福快樂的生活，但政府部門指控他非法繁殖老虎。
Borges 表示他從沒擔心過三個女兒從小跟老虎共同生活，他說：「對牠們示出尊重與愛，牠們也會同等回報。」平時吃飯時間，老虎會進廚房與家人一同用餐，就像餵寵物一樣徒手來餵食老虎，甚至讓牠們在屋內閒晃散步，相當輕鬆自由。連小孫女也熱愛這些老虎成員們，在幾乎沒有安全措施的防護下，零距離接觸也毫不構成問題。小虎從出生那天就是一家人用心照顧養大的，牠們兇猛的天性早已經不在了，老虎對於他們一家來說，就如同家人般親密。
- Sanctuary (n.) 庇護所；教堂 = refuge, asylum, haven
- Permit (n.) 許可證；執照
- Lounge around 閒晃
- Predator (n.) 食肉動物；掠奪者
- Minimal (adj.) 最小的 ↔ maximal 最大的
- Precaution (n.) 預防措施
I took an umbrella as a precaution. 我帶了一把傘以防下雨。
- Instinct (n.) 本能；天性；直覺
Mother hens protect their young by instinct. 母雞保護小雞出於本能。
- Dormant (adj.) 睡著的；靜止的
He hoped to boost their numbers to counteract the worldwide decimation of the species, and one day release captive tigers back into the wild. But he was later forced to discontinue a breeding program after officials told him he needed a permit.
Now he plans to open a 40-acre ecopark in Maringa where his animals can roam free. But not everyone in the family is happy about being in such close proximity to the lethal carnivores.
Uyara's husband, Rafael, worries that his daughter is being put in harm's way. He said: 'I think her interaction with the animals is dangerous, they can be lethal.
世界各地都有大量捕殺老虎的情形，Borges 希望他的作為可以達到保育效果，來作為抗衡，總有一天也會讓牠們回歸大自然。但 Borges 的保育計畫恐怕被迫中止，他需要一張官方核准的許可證。
如今 Borges 打算設立一個佔地40英畝的生態公園，讓動物們有個可以自由漫步的地方。不過並非每一位家庭成員都舉雙手贊成這項計畫，他的女婿 Rafael 就持反對意見，他認為孩子這麼小，就跟這種致命的肉食性動物親近實在太危險，擔心孩子會受傷。
- Counteract (v.) 對抗 = oppose
- Decimation (n.) 大量毀滅
- Captive (adj.) 被俘的；受監禁的；受控制的
Nine Indians were taken captive. 九個印第安人被俘。
- Roam (v.) 漫步；漫遊；流浪 = wander
We spent the day roaming around in the city. 我們漫步街頭度過了一天。
- Proximity +to N. (n.) 接近 ﹡in the proximity of… 在...附近
Proximity to a good shopping center was very important. 鄰近一個好的購物中心非常重要。
- Lethal (adj.) 致命的；危險的
Don't touch the bottle. It contains lethal chemicals. 不要碰這個瓶子。裡面裝有危險的化學品。
- Carnivore (n.) 食肉動物
Borges hopes to get permission to build his park to educate people about the plight of endangered tigers in the wild. He said: 'Today tigers are worth more dead than alive.
'The claws are used to make lucky charms, the penis is used as an aphrodisiac and in China they use the bones to make wine.
'I want to own an eco park that focuses on always bettering the lives of these animals - I have a soft spot for tigers.'
Borges 希望得到生態公園的建立許可，藉此進一步讓人們知道野生老虎目前所遭遇的困境。他說：「現在的老虎，死的比活的更有價值。牠們的爪子被拿來當成幸運裝飾物、生殖器被用來製作春藥，在中國，骨頭還被拿來生產酒。我想要拯救牠們的命運，因為我實在對老虎沒有抵抗力啊！」
- Plight (n.) 困境 = predicament
He was in a sad plight, sick and penniless. 他貧病交加，處境十分困難。
- Claw (n.)（動物的）爪
- Aphrodisiac (n.) 春藥
- Have a soft spot for… 對…心軟而沒有抵抗力 /【口】偏愛某人/某事物
I've always had a real soft spot for him. 我一向對他挺有好感。
