A federal judge in Oklahoma ordered new owners of an Oklahoma zoo featured in Netflix’s “Tiger King” documentary to hand over all the lion and tiger cubs in their possession, along with the animals’ mothers, to the federal government.
United States District Judge John F. Heil III issued the order last week in the case against Jeffrey and Lauren Lowe and the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park based on alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act and the Welfare Act Animal.
Jeffrey Lowe’s lawyer, Daniel Card, of Oklahoma City, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.
The Lowes took over the operations of the zoo, which was previously run by Joseph Maldonado-Passage – also known as Joe Exotic – and featured in the Netflix book “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness”.
Maldonado-Passage is serving a 22-year sentence in Fort Worth, Texas, a federal prison for his conviction on charges that he participated in a rental murder plot and violated federal wildlife laws. Maldonado-Passage has formally requested President Donald Trump’s forgiveness.