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Tiger Handler Ryan Easley Killed in Attack at Oklahoma Preserve

Animal-welfare groups renewed calls to end public interactions with captive big cats.

Joe Exotic, real name Joseph Maldonado, answers a question during an interview at the zoo he runs in Wynnewood, Oklahoma on 28 August 28, 2013.
A man was killed by a tiger at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo, Oklahoma, on September 20, 2025.
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Overview

  • Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo, Oklahoma said Ryan Easley died September 20 in an accident involving a tiger under his care.
  • A Choctaw County Sheriff account cited by CNN affiliate KXII reported Easley was attacked during an act and was not breathing when deputies arrived.
  • The private preserve closed to visitors, canceled all tours and encounters until further notice, and said tickets for canceled visits will be refunded.
  • PETA and Humane World for Animals urged exhibitors to retire performing big cats, noting Easley’s reported ties to Joe Exotic and Bhagavan “Doc” Antle.
  • Coverage referenced past 2017 Humane Society allegations of mistreatment, and a GoFundMe for Easley’s family raised more than $15,000 toward a $20,000 goal.