‘Tiger King’ Zoo Closes

The G.W. Zoo, made famous by Netflix’s ‘Tiger King’, is closing.

Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, made famous by its explicit appearance in Netflix’s Tiger King as the G.W. Zoo, is closing its doors for good. 

Jeff Lowe, current owner of the G.W. Zoo, announced the park’s closure on Facebook Tuesday. Lowe claimed the United States Department of Agriculture “folded” under pressure from PETA when suspending his license to operate the G.W. Zoo which houses dozens of exotic animals. 

“As of today, we have decided to close the old zoo effective immediately,” Lowe wrote on the GW Zoo’s Facebook page. “[Due to the] permanent closure of the Wynnewood Zoo, I’m forfeiting my USDA exhibitors license.” 

 

 

Despite the park’s closure, Lowe announced plans for a televised show filled with Tiger King content. Lowe also added that the G.W. Zoo’s grounds will transform from a zoo to a film set for his planned show. 

“Our new park will, at least for the foreseeable future, be a private film set for Tiger King related television content for cable and streaming services,” Lowe wrote on Facebook.

Carole Baskin, owner of Big Cat Rescue and longtime critic of the G.W. Zoo, shared the news with her Facebook followers citing concern about the future placement of the park’s exotic animals.

“I know everyone is going to bombard me with the question we all want answered; ‘What about the animals?’ and we don’t know yet what will happen but will alert you the minute we do,” Baskin wrote.

Before Lowe’s ownership, Baskin was granted the G.W. Zoo by an Oklahoma judge back in May after lawyers claimed Joseph Maldonado-Passage, famously known as Joe Exotic, illegally transferred the zoo’s ownership. Exotic is currently serving 22 years in federal prison after being found guilty of several animal cruelty charges and one murder for hire charge.

 

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