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An animal handler with previous ties to “Tiger King” star Joe Exotic has been killed by a tiger at an Oklahoma preserve where he worked.
Ryan Easley, operator of the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo, Oklahoma, was fatally mauled by the big cat under his care over the weekend, the preserve announced on social media on Sept. 21.
“Ryan was a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation,” the preserve wrote in a Facebook post.
“His love for animals, especially Big Cats, was evident in every aspect of his life.
“He dedicated his life to the protection and care of these magnificent animals, and he believed deeply in the mission of Growler Pines—to provide a safe and forever enriching home for the animals under his care.”
The privately owned facility, which offers guided tours and encounters to the public, has canceled all reservations until further notice and will issue refunds to existing ticket holders.
“This tragedy is a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world,” the preserve said.
“Ryan understood those risks—not out of recklessness but out of love.
“The animals under his care were not just animals to him, but beings he formed a connection with—one rooted in respect, daily care and love.”
According to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), Easley acquired tigers from Joe Exotic, whose real name is Joe Maldonado, for his business ShowMe Tigers and traveled around the nation with the animals for entertainment purposes.
“It’s never safe for humans to interact directly with apex predators,” Debbie Metzler, PETA’s senior director of captive wildlife, said in a statement. “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.”
Exotic was the subject of the 2020 Netflix documentary “Tiger King,” and is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence.
He was convicted in 2019 on animal abuse charges and a murder-for-hire plot involving animal welfare activist Carole Baskin.
“I would like to send my prayers to Ryan Easley’s family for their loss,” Exotic said in a statement from prison. “I have known Ryan for many years. He built a large compound on the back side of my zoo to house his tigers during the winter one year about 15 or so years ago. ... When I knew Ryan in the early years, he wanted to be the one with the most tigers in the ring at one time.”
Exotic went on to dispute PETA’s claims of animal mistreatment and said Easley died doing what he loved most.
“No one can blame the tiger for what happened,” Exotic wrote.
“We all take risk in what we do and we don’t need further laws to ban tigers because of this because you can get killed doing just about anything.
“No matter if you agree with the way another operates his business, a loss is always something no one wants to see happen.”
Elma Aksalic is a freelance entertainment reporter for The Epoch Times and an experienced TV news anchor and journalist covering original content for Newsmax magazine.
