Hi Global Strays Partner,

Have you heard of the new Netflix docuseries, "Tiger King"? As an animal welfare organization that prioritizes the ethical treatment of animals around the world, we wanted to take a moment to address some of the most problematic aspects of this series. The focus of "Tiger King" is not the rampant and illegal abuse of big cats by its main character, Joe Exotic. It is, instead, a distracted look at the soap opera-like drama of its eccentric personalities, with the series’ villain portrayed as the activist advocating against cub petting and big cat ownership. Critics fear that "Tiger King" romanticizes owning and selling wild animals and sets back efforts to end the practice. Below, we have compiled a list of truths about big cat ownership that the series failed to address in any significant way.

More tigers exist in captivity than in the wild

Fewer than 4,000 tigers remain left in the wild (down from 100,000 a century ago). Meanwhile, estimates put the global captive tiger population as high as 25,000 -- more than 6 times higher than the number of wild tigers. Shockingly, it is estimated that around 10,000 of those in captivity are owned in the United States.

Why are there so many tigers in captivity?

With accredited zoos and sanctuaries accounting for less than 5% of captive tigers in the U.S. (fewer than 350), the rest are privately owned and fall outside the scope of federal oversight. Private big cat owners flying under the radar do not have to abide by any regulations or guidelines. Among other things, this leads to unlimited and uninformed breeding without consideration for priorities like maintaining genetic diversity. As such, many captive big cats are inbred; subspecies of tiger that do not mate in the wild are bred together; and even completely distinct species like lion and tiger are cross-bred to produce unnatural phenomena like “ligers”. Such hybrids fall outside of any conservation plan and, therefore, unaccredited roadside zoos, wildlife parks, carnivals and other attractions should not be confused with actual conservation efforts.

What happens to all these tigers?

With no limitations on breeding, financial pressures can add up quickly for owners of big cats. This usually means animals suffer from poor living conditions like small enclosures and unnatural diets. But tigers are also huge money-makers, especially cubs. Somehow a legal practice, people pay anywhere from 100 to 700 USD to pet, bottle-feed, swim and take selfies with cubs. However, the value of cubs declines significantly after 12 weeks of age. Constant breeding and zero oversight results in: a surplus of tigers that end up being sold to other private owners in online auctions; illegally euthanized for parts sold on the black market; or they simply “disappear.” A lucky few end up at accredited sanctuaries like Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, FL.

With all the companion animals around the world in desperate need of homes, there is absolutely no reason to raise and keep exotic species as pets. To find out more about the deeply disturbing reality behind "Tiger King" and why the series was a real missed opportunity for conservation awareness, check out this article in the New York Times.

Sincerely,

Elizabeth Shafiroff 
President
Global Strays