Authorities in Oklahoma have confiscated nearly 70 big cats from the well-known businessman Geoffrey Lowe from the “Tiger King” series. These include tigers, lions and jaguars from Tiger King Park in Thackerville, according to US media reports.
Court documents state that animals are believed to have been “sold, bought, or transported” in violation of legislation prohibiting trade in protected animals, the Endangered Species Act. Prosecutors said the treatment of the animals left much to be desired. Their normal behavior is said to have been disrupted because their accommodations were substandard or due to malnutrition.
The Tiger King documentary series on Netflix tells the story of flamboyant zoo owner Joseph Maldonado-Passage, better known as Joe Exotic. He ended up behind bars for 22 years after he hired a hitman to eliminate animal rights activist Carol Baskin.
His zoo in Wynnewood is in the hands of Geoffrey and Lauren Lowe, and the couple house the animals at Tiger King Park. In recent months, government inspections have uncovered all kinds of abuses there.
The couple also faced a 110-page indictment in November. Among other things, they were accused of showing animals without a permit. Their lawyer contradicted this, saying that authorities wrongly interpreted the documentary’s crew’s acceptance as an illegal show.
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