PITTSBORO, N.C (WGHP) — Three tigers who resided at the infamous Tiger King Park, from the hit 2020 Netflix series “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” have found a new home in the Tar Heel State.
These three tigers were among a total of 68 big cats that have been rescued from Tiger King Park in Oklahoma, which has now closed been closed for nearly two years following a federal lawsuit and allegations of inadequate animal care.
The zoo was owned by Joe Exotic, who is currently serving decades in prison.
The Tiger King franchise has also featured Myrtle Beach Safari’s Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who is facing charges in both Virginia and South Carolina for animal trafficking, along with accusations of money laundering.
He remains out of jail on bond awaiting trial.
The three tigers, Naveen, Samar and Shailah, will join the other 10 tigers already at Carolina Tiger Rescue.
A spokesperson for the sanctuary said all of the tigers are full of personality.
One of the tigers, Shailah, is a three-year-old white tiger. Although white tigers are susceptible to health problems due to their white fur being a genetic mutation that is typically caused by inbreeding, the sanctuary says Shailah is relatively healthy.
Naveen, 7, is a social male who the sanctuary says may already be the apple of one of their other tigers’ eyes. Yanaba is a female tiger at the sanctuary known for her cautious and indifferent personality. However, she has taken an interest in Naveen, like she has a big crush on him.
Samar, 7, is the most talkative of the three. His loud purrs ring out with the ferocity of a house cat.
A fourth tiger from Tiger King Park was supposed to join the trio at Carolina Tiger Rescue, but died after an operation for a digestive issue.
The sanctuary said that while all of the tigers come with unique challenges, it is glad to have them and would not change a thing.
There is no time frame on when visitors will be able to see the new tigers on tours. Carolina Tiger Rescue has advised visitors to keep an eye on its social media for updates.