The Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, featured in the controversial Netflix documentary Tiger King, is now closed “effective immediately,” according to a now-deleted Facebook post by owner Jeff Lowe, whose U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) license to operate was recently suspended.
The decision to permanently shutter the park follows an investigation in June by the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Numerous complaints about the animals’ welfare also prompted the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife to inspect the park, where injured animals were found, isolated, and given veterinary care, according to a Facebook post by the Garvin County Sheriff’s Office.
At around the same time, PETA released gruesome whistleblower images of several ailing lions at the park who appeared to suffer from severe “flystrike,” a painful ailment typically associated with unsanitary living conditions, in which flies bite and lay eggs on animals and maggots eat away at their skin.
Following the investigation, the USDA suspended Lowe’s exhibitor license for 21 days.
Lowe, who claims he voluntarily forfeited his license amid the suspension, accused animal rights groups and activists of targeting him and levying false allegations against him, Fox Business reported.
On June 1, before the recent USDA investigation, a federal judge granted control of the property to Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue. Lowe was given 120 days to vacate the property and reportedly plans to relocate hundreds of exotic animals, including lions, tigers, bears, monkeys, lemurs, snakes, a sloth, and more.
This is a developing story. We will continue to monitor this case and additional details will be provided when available.

About time this is closed👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
Don’t understand how on earth people without any qualifications can open zoos or keep wild animals at home⁉️⁉️⁉️⁉️🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬this must be regulated & must be disallowed ‼️‼️‼️
I’m thankful authorities stepped in…we all need to feel what it’s like for the animals…if you csnt stand living like that neither should they..
Please check out the white tigers at the downtown aquarium restaurant in Houston, Texas, owned by Tillman Fertitta. I hear there are more in Las Vegas and other restaurants and venues owned by him.He uses them as an attraction for his restaurants. The man has no moral compass and has been criticized numerous times, so he updated their environment, but didn’t release them!
Animals should be treated better than this they have feelings and people don’t remember that!
If the man is allowed to ‘Relocate” the same way elsewhere so what is the point of suspension of his license& what is the meaning of it all? He is making money out of the misery of defenseless animals. He is greedy for money and the animals conditions will stay the same. CONFISCATE ALL THE POOR ANIMALS WHO ARE IMPRISONED THERE & SEND THEM TO ACCREDITED SANCTUARIES TO LIVE THEIR LIFE PEACEFULLY. Not under a greedy animal breeders.
FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, RESCUE AND SAVE THESE ANIMALS!!
Zoo is loosely named. Not sanctuary!!!
Good, now maybe those beautiful animals will be placed somewhere that they won’t be abused.
So glad to hear they closed that awful Tiger King zoo. Zoo’s should be for learning & conservation of that particular species since we are depleting the natural wildlife. And I also feel nobody should ever be able to personally own a wild animal. I know they still allow big cats to be owned in homes in the US. This needs to be stopped as well, long overdue.
In a USA Today article, Jeff Lowe says (re: Tiger King)
“It has provided us with an unfathomable source of income, income that will guarantee the long term care of our animals and allow us to be very selective going forward. As of today, we have decided to close the old zoo effective immediately.
OK – zoo closed! NOW MAKE SURE THAT UNFATHOMABLE SOURCE OF INCOME IS GOING TO THE LONG TERM CARE OF THESE ANIMALS YOU ABUSED. You do not deserve one stinking penny. IT BELONGS TO THEM!
Signed ~ nutjob and animal rights loon Trish W
Feel the animals’ pain
animals need to be treated with respect – love and kindness!
all tortures and cruelties which animals have to endure – is outrageous and unspeakable off !
animals need to be treated with respect – love and kindness!
all tortures and cruelties which animals have to endure – is outrageous and unspeakable off !
Unfortunately, all of these animals will probably end up in even worse conditions after they are sold off. 🙁
ANIMAL CRUELTY CASES PAINT A DIRE WARNING: DON’T GIVE ANIMALS AWAY ON CRAIGSLIST
SIGN: JUSTICE FOR TINY KITTENS DROWNED FOR SNAPCHAT VIDEO
The world is in the age of Kali Yuga and people are becoming crueler and more heinous – these posts verify this fact – the planet is on fire and people who tend to be vicious and hateful are becoming more so – the world does not have long until humans are completely irradiated from the planet for their hate towards each other / animals / environment
EXCELLENT NEWS — I hope the Animals are in a Sanctuary properly being taken care of by knowledgeable and loving people
THANK GOD!!!!!~!
THANK GOD!!!!!~!
What is going to happen to all the animals? I sincerely hope they will go to sanctuaries.
yeah,
I’m hoping this IS a step in the right direction and not a case of same evil, different owner.Please keep tack of what’s happening with these creatures who deserve to be treated with care and compassion.
Yay. Hopefully all these sweet animals will have better lives similar to their natural habitation….. SINCE THEY CAN’T GO BACK TO THE WILD.
Sadly, most of these abused big cats were never in the wild – they were bred in captivity for either pets or parts.
For the love of God…finally!!!!!!!
Thank God this place closed down. These animals need to go to a sanctuary 🦁🐯🐅🐆🐍
Its time ALL these disgusting places were shut down and ALL the animals sent to proper sanctuaries and animal rescue groups. Make sure this vile ‘person’ does NOT start up another hell-hole ‘zoo’ elsewhere, possibly illegally under a different name!!!!
its about time…. let him get a real job… probably in a slaughter house.
Keep the zoo shut and have the tigers well taken care of by vets. They need it.
Great keep it shut down