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A tiger handler linked to “Tiger King” Joe Exotic was killed Saturday by one of the big cats at the Oklahoma preserve where he worked, according to the facility.
Ryan Easley was fatally attacked by a tiger at a preserve in Oklahoma. (X)
In a shocking incident, a tiger handler who once worked with infamous zoo-keeper Joe Exotic was mauled to death by one of the big cats at a wildlife park in Oklahoma.
Ryan Easley was fatally attacked by a tiger, which was under his care, at the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo on Saturday, September 20, the wildlife refuge announced in a statement on Facebook.
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“It is with profound sorrow that we confirm the tragic loss of Ryan Easley, who lost his life in an accident involving a tiger under his care at the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve,” the preserve said.
Easley was performing an act with the tiger when “something went wrong,” and he was attacked. He was not breathing when deputies arrived, CNN affiliate KXII reported, citing the Choctaw County Sheriff.
“…This tragedy is a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world. Ryan understood those risks — not out of recklessness but out of love,” the wildlife park further said in the statement.
Describing Easley as “a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation,” Growler Pines said he had dedicated his life to protecting and caring for big cats.
The Hugo, Oklahoma, facility was established as ShowMe Tigers — Easley’s traveling big cat show — increased its focus on conservation and looked for a permanent home where visitors could learn about its retired circus animals, according to the Growler Pines website.
In a statement following Easley’s death, animal rights campaign group PETA described Growler Pines Tiger Preserve as a “roadside zoo” and claimed Easley had previously been “caught violently whipping tigers during a training session”.
It further claimed that Easly had acquired tigers from Joe Exotic, 62, and Dr Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, the controversial stars of Netflix’s hit documentary series Tiger King, for his business, ShowMe Tigers.
“Easley had acquired tigers from Joe Exotic and fellow Tiger King villain Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle for his business, ShowMe Tigers, and for years had hauled them around the country, forced them to perform in cruel circuses … and kept them trapped in cages for hours when they weren’t performing,” the statement said.
Debbie Metzler, Foundation Senior Director of Captive Wildlife, said in a statement, “It’s never safe for humans to interact directly with apex predators, and it’s never a surprise when a human is attacked by a stressed big cat who has been caged, whipped, and denied everything natural and important to them.”
Joe Exotic — whose real name is Joe Maldonado — expressed his condolences on social media after Easley’s death, the Oklahoman reported. “Prayers go out to his family,” it quoted him as saying.
“Ryan took great care of his animals! He loved everyone of those tigers and was an advocate for tigers as well as elephants.” the Oklahoman said the posts were later removed from Instagram and Facebook.
Joe Exotic was the subject of the hit Netflix show Tiger King and is serving a 21-year sentence at Fort Worth’s Federal Medical Center following his conviction in the now notorious murder-for-hire case that formed the subject of the show.
(With inputs from CNN)
About the Author
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben…Read More
Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben… Read More
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September 22, 2025, 19:51 IST
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