During lockdown, most of us relied on streaming services like Netflix to get us through the day. A show people quickly became obsessed with was Tiger King. A zoo owner and a tiger breeder who was recently sentenced to prison for hiring somebody to kill an animal rights activist. So, why is this show so popular and how does it showcase America’s love for owning tigers?
Is Tiger King something I should be supporting?
I’ve never watched Tiger King. I have however seen videos and pictures from the show online. It’s classed as a true crime miniseries. The show doesn’t pay enough attention to how Joe Maldonado-Passage, best known as Joe Exotic, runs his ‘zoo’ and treats his animals.
I don’t know what the intentions there were for this show, I believe it will have boosted the popularity of the zoo and given this man a celebrity status. His sentence also includes killing five tigers in 2017 and selling tigers across state lines. His zoo is now run by Jeff Lowe, a former business partner of Exotic.
“Cubs are put under immense stress of being petted all day”
A National Geographic article published May of this year stated how the zoo has reopened during the pandemic. Tiger cub petting was now officially open to the public once again. Cubs are put under immense stress of being petted all day. They are at risk of catching Covid-19. The zoo was met with large crowds.
The welfare of the animals is put last. This is to create vast amounts of money to further contribute to the issue.
If only TV stations, newspapers and the media highlighted the conservation issues in different countries. We could have very well been in a different situation, and in a world where wildlife is prospering.
Has anything been done to stop it?
Reports this month state the zoo has permanently closed. It has never been popular amongst animal rights activists. This includes people who work in accredited places that contribute to conservation.
“Many will never know how to be a wild animal”
This year 39 of the tigers kept at Exotic’s zoo were put into an accredited sanctuary. Therefore, many may never be able to return to the wild as they have been in an unstimulating environment, for so long. Many will never know how to be a wild animal.
The zoo has now been handed over to Carole Baskin who owns a non-profit animal sanctuary and is the person Jeff Lowe blames Peta for causing this to happen. Frankly, somebody had to do it.
However, under the law, the animals are Lowe’s property. It’s peculiar how people can ‘own’ such animals.
This shows how countries have a big role to play in the ill treatment of animals. More needs to be done to relinquish any rights people have.
Focus should be put on places helping wildlife conservation. To summarize, we need to help endangered tigers because they need to blossom in a world that is leading them to extinction.
The reality of what happens
Tigers are critically endangered. They face many threats. This includes deforestation, the wildlife trade, being killed for meat and their fur. All caused by the pressure humans are putting on our natural world.
Thereby, WWF states that there are more captive tigers in America then there is in the wild. Many are privately owned. Only 6% are in accredited zoos. This showcases how bad this issue has gotten. Sadly, many of these animals will be treated poorly. These are wild animals, not domesticated ones.
“Many owners will have no training or knowledge of how to care for these animals. Subsequently, they are used as an ego boost”
Many owners will have no training or knowledge of how to care for these animals. Subsequently, they are used as an ego boost. It’s a way to show off wealth and start a trend.
What is most infuriating that many claims by rapidly breeding tigers, they are helping with conservation, increasing numbers. Furthermore, conservation isn’t just about loving wildlife, it’s about creating and maintaining a world that we all flourish in. Yes, we absolutely want the tiger population to increase, but not like this. We should not be forcing and gaining money off of them.
Speaking up to make a difference
Meanwhile, WWF reports that the US government did put stricter regulations around captive tigers under the Endangered Species Act. But more is to be done. They are pushing for the passing of the Big Cat Public Safety Act. In addition, this act would improve things such as prohibiting public contact with cubs, improve animal welfare and reducing risk of tiger parts from the US entering the illegal wildlife trade.
More pressure needs to be applied to ensure the safety of tigers and all endangered species. However, it’s not good enough to comment on posts about how wrong this is, it’s time to speak up.
Inform and educate people on how wrong but also damaging this is to a species that is already facing serious threats.
Robyn Lawrence
Featured Image via Nick Karvounis via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.