Big Cat Handler Linked To 'Tiger King' Star Joe Exotic Mauled To Death

Ryan Easley died at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve on Saturday, Sept. 20, the southeastern Oklahoma facility said in a Facebook post.

He ran ShowMe Tigers and had worked with animals from Joe Exotic and Bhagavan “Doc” Antle.

Easley was performing “an act with the tiger when something went wrong, resulting in him being attacked,” Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park told KXII 12 News. Deputies said Easley wasn’t breathing when they arrived.

Growler Pines said Easley’s death was a devastating loss.

“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. 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.

His legacy will live on in the lives he touched, the animals he protected and the example he set for others who dedicate their lives to working with wildlife.”

According to animal rights group PETA, Easley spent years transporting big cats to circuses and other events. Easley was filmed in 2017 whipping tigers during a training session, one of whom was struck 31 times.

Debbie Metzler, the PETA Foundation’s senior director of captive wildlife, is demanding an end to big cat exhibitions.

“It’s never safe for humans to interact directly with apex predators, and it’s never a surprise when a human is attacked by a stressed big cat who has been caged, whipped, and denied everything natural and important to them,” Metzler said. “PETA is calling for the remaining wild animal exhibitors who aren’t dead or in federal prison to get out of the business now and send the animals to accredited sanctuaries where they can finally live in peace.”

In a now-deleted social media post, Joe Exotic mourned Easley’s death, according to The Oklahoman.

“Prayers go out to his family,” Exotic wrote. “Ryan took great care of his animals! He loved every one of those tigers and was an advocate for tigers as well as elephants.”

Exotic, whose real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, is serving a 21-year prison sentence for trying to hire two men to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin. In 2020, the murder-for-hire plot was highlighted throughout the first season of the hit true crime documentary series “Tiger King” on Netflix.

Growler Pines said all tours and encounters were canceled until further notice.

This article by Chris Spiker was first published by The Daily Voice on 22 September 2025. Lead Image: Ryan Easley, a big cat trainer at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve, was killed by a tiger on September 20, 2025. Photo Credit: Facebook – Growler Pines Tiger Preserve.