The exotic cat garden made famous by Netflix docuseries Tiger King has permanently closed.
In a Facebook post to the page of the now-named Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, current owner Jeff Lowe (nemesis of arrest Tiger King star and former owner, Joe Exotic) said the zoo is closed to the public “effectively”.
“The Tiger King phenomenon has definitely changed our lives in many ways, ”reads the post.
“It has and will probably continue to make us a target of every nutjob and animal rights in the world, but we are ready. As of today, we have decided to close the old zoo immediately effectively. ”
Lowe added that because of the park’s permanent closure, he has now voluntarily forgotten his U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) exhibit license. He also noted that the USDA, which had previously issued its provision “five consecutive perfect inspections”, now “complied with PETA’s pressure and continued to make false accusations against me”.
“Suspect, less than 24 hours after I contacted the USDA to voluntarily forgive my license, they are informing me that they are suspending my license for 21 days for a litany of forgeries,” Lowe wrote.
“In the state of Oklahoma, exotic animal owners are completely legal. Rest assured that all animals will remain in excellent care, and will therefore no longer be subject to USDA inspections or PETA spies. ”
Lowe’s post also referred to a Tiger King spinoff starring himself and wife Lauren Dropla, who first named the pair in June. “Our new park will be, at least for the time to come, a private film for Tiger King related television content for cable and streaming services, ”he said.
The news comes after Exotic’s arch-enemy, Carol Baskin, took possession of the zoo by a federal judge in Oklahoma. Given 120 days to vacate the property, Lowe said of the decision, ‘I expected it a year ago. We knew it was writing on the wall. ”
Exotic called the decision a ‘betrayal that needs to be challenged’.
Earlier this month it was reported that Baskin was seeking a £ 1 million fee for the second season of Tiger King. Baskin denied the report, saying “there is no amount of money that would make me trust the producers again.”
