Animal Handler Was Killed by Tiger in Front of His Wife Daughter
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NEED TO KNOW
- Ryan Easley, who, according to animal rights group PETA, is linked to Tiger King star Joe Exotic, was attacked by a tiger while his daughter and wife were present at a show in Oklahoma, according to a local sheriff
- Multiple people reportedly were in attendance at the big cat show where Easley was attacked
- Easley had owned the cat that attacked him “for quite some time,” the sheriff said
New details are emerging about what led to the fatal tiger attack of an animal handler linked to Tiger King star Joe Exotic.
Ryan Easley was fatally attacked by the tiger at the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo, Okla., on Saturday, Sept. 20, the wildlife refuge said on Facebook.
Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park told the Associated Press that Easley and the tiger were inside a large cage together when the animal unexpectedly started to bite and shake the handler.
Easley’s wife and young daughter were in attendance when the attack occurred, Park added. The incident occurred at the end of a big cat show that multiple people attended.
“It was a big tiger,” the sheriff explained. “This particular one, he’d had for quite some time.”
Neither the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office nor the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve immediately responded to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
Easley was performing an act with the tiger when the attack occurred, KXII reported, citing Park. He was not breathing when deputies arrived.
The animal rights group PETA said in a statement that Easley was “an associate of Joseph Maldonado,” also known as Joe Exotic. They claimed that Easley had acquired tigers from Joe Exotic as well as Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle for his business, ShowMe Tigers.
Exotic, who is currently serving a 21-year prison sentence, wrote in a since-deleted tribute on social media, “Prayers go out to his family. Ryan took great care of his animals! He loved every one of those tigers and was an advocate for tigers as well as elephants,” The Oklahoman reported.
GoFundMe
Growler Pines Tiger Preserve said in its statement that Easley “was a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation” who had a “love for animals, especially Big Cats.” They also said Easley “believed deeply in the mission of Growler Pines- to provide a safe and forever enriching home for the animals under his care.”
“This tragedy is a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world,” the preserve said. “Ryan understood those risks — not out of recklessness but out of love.”
They added, “The animals under his care were not just animals to him, but beings he formed a connection with- one rooted in respect, daily care and love.”
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All tours and encounters at Growler Pines will be cancelled until further notice, according to the preserve.
More than $31,000 has been raised through GoFundMe to support Easley’s family following his death.
Credit to Nypost AND Peoples
