Tiger King zoo closes after reported animal welfare violations


Five months after Netflix's Tiger King debuted, the zoo from the wildly successful documentary series has closed to the public.
The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park is closing "effective immediately" after its exhibitor license was suspended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, CNN reports.
The zoo's license suspension came after inspectors reportedly identified numerous animal welfare violations, including the fact that, according to CNN, the "only refrigerated storage for animal food was a broken refrigerator truck." TMZ also reports that investigators said some of the animals "appeared to be weak and neglected." The zoo was previously owned by Joe Exotic, the subject of Netflix's documentary series that focused on his feud with activist Carole Baskin and his ultimate imprisonment following a murder-for-hire plot.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A Facebook post from the zoo claimed it had been the "target of every nutjob and animal rights loon in the world" following the release of Tiger King and that the USDA was making "false accusations" after having "folded to the pressures of PETA." PETA in a statement celebrated the fact that after this suspension, owner Jeff Lowe's "tiger-terrorizing days may soon be over."
The Facebook announcement also said that "our new park" will be "a private film set for Tiger King related television content for cable and streaming services," as Lowe evidently hopes the public's fascination with this bizarre cast of characters can be maintained for years to come.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
August 24 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include Putin at Donald Trump's circus, gallons of whitewash, and a foldable cartoon
-
5 Post Office-approved cartoons about mail-in voting
Cartoons Artists take on reverse logic, Putin's election advice, and more
-
The battle of the weight-loss drugs
Talking Point Can Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly regain their former stock market glory? A lot is riding on next year's pills
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play