“So can you talk to animals?” a recent first date asked me when I explained my wildlife background. I honestly couldn’t tell if he was being serious or not.

Personally, I get pretty annoyed when people proclaim they have a “special connection” to animals as if they have some super power to talk to them. That statement is usually followed by the person either pushing their way into the animal’s personal space or looking forlornly off into the distance. Still, I can’t blame them.

It’s easy to get lost in your own imaginings- especially when you are lucky enough to come close to some of the most powerful animals on this planet. And who doesn’t want to have a connection with a creature they can’t otherwise communicate with? It’s actually a universal reaction for people to feel a special connection when interacting with an animal, wild or not. I have done some research on the topic.

And it is true that humans can share significant connections with other living creatures. Your pet really can love you back. Many species can tell humans apart, some having favorites and others holding grudges. They are feeling creatures just as much as the most empathetic of humans.

But, we have a habit of getting ahead of ourselves.

I had this very thought as I stared into the massive pale eyes of the white tiger snarling at me through the fence. Titan, one of the sanctuary’s oldest tigers, was also close to the biggest; second only to Saber, a much younger and more playful male. He was a very territorial cat, especially regarding his house which was a 15 foot by 15 foot structure in which he napped and was fed. I had made the mistake of getting too close to it.

We, as interns who lived onsite of this large carnivore sanctuary in Texas, were taught about the personalities of the animals we took care of. Much of it was out of pure love for the animals but, sometimes, it was for our own safety. Some of the animals had a few quirks we needed to be aware of so as to not upset them. And I managed to do just that.

I had been given a special privilege of walking the sanctuary on my own to take pictures of the animals to provide for their social media page. This is not normal for obvious safety reasons, but I was an experienced intern who showed I could be trusted to do the right thing. Getting too caught up in my photography, I had stepped a little too close to his house and the tiger I was trying to capture the right angle of was suddenly right up on me.

His stance was defensive, his chest out and his head tilted upward as if in challenge, but I knew that I’d be a dead intern if the fence wasn’t between us. Even with his lack of teeth due to the poor diet he was given by the circus we rescued him from, I felt suddenly my sense of mortality as his hot breath flooded my face. My ears still ringing from the roar made just inches from me, I slowly let the camera hang from my neck and backed away as calmly as possible.

It is important not to react visibly in situations like these. Predators instinctively respond to quick movement and excitement as that is a natural prey response. It was the only thing going through my head as I realized my mistake.

I got too comfortable.

It doesn’t matter how much you love an animal or how much they love you, you cannot forget what is in their nature. It isn’t evil. Animals just live different lives from us and we need to respect it.

Additionally, try not to kick yourself too hard for making a mistake. I hung my head in shame for a while after walking away from Titan but I never did it again. Treat it like a learning opportunity and take it to heart because there isn’t much room for these mistakes in wildlife work. It’s good to understand exactly why you can’t let your guard down.

All of this being said, Titan forgave me as much as the grumpy old tiger could. He never roared at me again and didn’t pay me much heed at meal times which is the best I could have asked for! I’d like to think he and I reached an agreement after letting me live to tell the tale.