MULTIMEDIA

Some tigers really like Christmas trees.

And Tiger World owner Lea Jaunakais discovered this five years ago as she tried to find a way to recycle her used tree.

Jaunakais says it's an exciting game for the cats.

"They love the Christmas trees! They like the smell of the sap and they roll around on it. They drag it around their habitat, so it's just a real fun thing for them to do. Something new, new smells and they really enjoy it," she explains.

Jaunakais says the cats easily turn the trees into mulch, which becomes part of their habitats.

Tiger World in Rockwell is offering free admission to anyone who brings a Christmas tree this weekend and next. Visitors can watch as tigers and other large cats pulverize their used trees.

It would be interesting to see a video of the big cats turning the trees into mulch.

You have run a story this evening about other options (besides using big cats) to dispose of your Christmas tree, and one you mention is chopping it up for firewood. This is NOT a good idea, either for a fireplace or a wood stove. Fir trees are very full of pitch, which can blaze up and start chimney or even roof fires. In an open fireplace, sparks can pop out and start rug fires or burn people. So DON'T chop your tree up and burn it in your house. (Whether you can do it outdoors would depend on a whole other set of factors.)