Kiss of Death

24" x 36"
Scratchboard and Ink

The name suggests something fierce but the actual reason for the name is sort of an inside joke. This summer I went to Belize and signed up for the "kiss of Death" experience at the Belize Zoo. Without going into all the disappointing details of the day I will say we went into a cage smaller than my car - inside the jaguar enclosure - and got to meet Junior up close and personal. Junior is a neutered jaguar who was rescued from a drug dealer's compound and is a big part of the country's effort to save this greatly endangered animal. The day boasted petting, feeding and a "kiss" from Junior himself - we found out when we got inside that the kiss only goes to people with a buzz cut or no hair at all as his scratchy tongue could scalp anyone with longer hair. But the petting through the bars and feeding was pretty amazeballs. If you ever get the chance to pet a live jaguar - I HIGHLY recommend it!

New file! Prints are available in small sizes (and some new accessories).