The zoo which was made famous by the popular Tiger King documentary is closing for good after its license was suspended by authorities.
Jeff Lowe, who featured in the documentary and is the current owner of the Greater Wynnwood Exotic Animal Park, announced the news in a Facebook post, blaming “pressures” from animal rights charity, Peta.
“The Tiger King phenomenon has definitely changed our lives in many ways,” Lowe wrote.
“It has brought us more attention than any human deserves, good and bad.
“It has, and probably will continue to make us a target of every nutjob and animal rights loon in the world, but we are prepared.”
He added that due to the park’s closure, he has voluntarily forfeited his United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) exhibitor’s license which allowed him to buy and sell animals.
Lowe also claimed the zoo had been targeted by Peta, writing: “The very agency that has given my facility five consecutive perfect inspections [the USADA], has now folded to the pressures of PETA and continue to make false accusations against me.”
In a statement, Brittany Peet who works on the captive animal team at Peta said: “Peta looks forward to seeing every one of the long-suffering animals at the G.W. Zoo be transferred to an appropriate facility where it won’t take federal intervention for a sick cat to receive veterinary care.”
It doesn’t look like the end of the road for Lowe though, as he also announced his new park in Thackerville, Oklahoma will “be a private film set for Tiger King related television content for cable and streaming services”.