The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, made famous by the Netflix docu-series “Tiger King,” has closed its doors to the public.
Jeff Lowe, current owner and former business partner of Joe Exotic, took to the zoo’s Facebook page to announce the news. “The Tiger King phenomenon has definitely changed our lives in many ways. It has brought us more attention than any human deserves, good and bad,” he began the post. “It has, and probably will continue to make us a target of every nutjob and animal rights loon in the World, but we are prepared.”
“As of today, we have decided to close the old zoo effective immediately. [Due to] the permanent closure of the Wynnewood Zoo, I’m forfeiting my USDA exhibitors license,” Lowe continued.
He went on to seemingly direct blame at the USDA for the closure, writing, “The very agency that has given my facility five consecutive perfect inspections, has now folded to the pressures of PETA and continue to make false accusations against me. Suspiciously, less than 24 hours after I contacted the USDA to voluntarily forfeit my license, they notify me that they are suspending my license for 21 days for a litany of falsehoods.”
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Lowe went on to stress that exotic animal ownership is “perfectly legal” in Oklahoma, and assured fans that the zoo’s animals would “continue to have excellent care.”
“The animals are now in private hands and will remain in private hands,” he added in another Facebook post.
In June, Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue Corp. was granted ownership and control of the zoo as part of a trademark judgement against Joe Exotic. According to court documents obtained by NBC News from Carole Baskin, a judge in Oklahoma City ruled that Big Cat Rescue had proved that Exotic had fraudulently transferred the zoo to Joe’s mother, Shirley M. Schreibvogel, back in 2011.
“Over a year ago Mr. Lowe announced plans to move the animals to a location in Thackerville, OK that he has been constructing and he claims will be a better facility,” Baskin said in a statement at the time. “He recently stated that he had funds to complete the zoo and a contractor who could complete it in a few months. If the need arises to make other plans to place the animals in new homes, Big Cat Rescue and the animal welfare organizations that have previously successfully placed big cats from large facilities in new homes stand ready to assist.”
Currently, Joe Exotic is in prison serving a 22-year sentence after he was found guilty in 2019 for paying a hitman $3,000 to kill Baskin.