Meet the Animals Who Survived the Tiger King

By: Discovery

The all-new documentary special ‘SURVIVING JOE EXOTIC’ premieres July 25 at 10P ET/PT on Animal Planet and features one of Joe Exotic’s last formal interviews before his arrest.

July 16, 2020

Animal abuse is the conversation we’re having here. The story behind "Tiger King" Joe Exotic and the infamous G.W. Zoo became an international conversation recently — a conversation that often failed to address the real abuse faced by the animals.

Animal Planet was given exclusive access to the G.W. Zoo while filming Wolves and Warriors in 2018. In addition to the never before seen interview with Joe Exotic, this footage tells the stories of animals who were caught in the crossfire of Joe Exotic’s big cat breeding business and the heartwarming stories of those that found new homes after the G.W. Zoo.

Audiences will hear from rescue leaders, exotic animal experts, and ex-employees. Animal Planet sits down with former staff members who worked side-by-side with Joe; including former employee Gaylynn Eastwood and former manager Saff Saffery, who lost an arm to one of Joe’s tigers. Most importantly, viewers will follow the touching and inspiring journeys of the animals who survived from under the direct care of Joe Exotic.

We’ll meet Kryxis and Kadira, two visually impaired tiger littermates whose vision was restored after their rescue from the G.W. Zoo through surgery at the Exotic Feline Rescue Center in Indiana. Viewers will also meet Chobe and Kariba, two lions found traumatized by the pain of inbreeding and spending their lifetimes in a small enclosure, who are relocated to Wildcat Ridge Sanctuary in Oregon.

Now is the time to have a conversation about the endless cycle of neglect and mistreatment that exists in the world of big cat and exotics trade.

SURVIVING JOE EXOTIC premieres on Animal Planet Saturday, July 25 at 10P ET/PT.

In addition to watching the documentary special on Animal Planet, viewers can join the conversation on social media by using the hashtag #SurvivingJoeExotic and following ANIMAL PLANET on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Next Up

NFL SUPER STADIUMS Follows the Epic Journey of Building SoFi Stadium

In partnership with the NFL, Discovery and Science Channel go behind the scenes and follow the remarkable journey of constructing SoFi Stadium in an all-new, two-hour special, NFL SUPER STADIUMS premiering Wednesday, September 9 at 8P on Science Channel and Saturday, September 12 at 11A on Discovery.

Robotrucks to Deliver New Era of Driverless Technology

Clear winners are hard to pick in the race to develop self-driving vehicles, but autonomous trucks have built a convincing lead. Robotrucks have completed thousands of automated journeys and the world appears to be braced for a new era of driverless delivery.

Human Composting Saves the Planet One Burial at a Time

Green or eco burials have become an alternative way to reduce the environmental impact of burying loved ones.

Celebrity Car Dealers Showcase the American Dream on MILLION DOLLAR WHEELS

The cutthroat and elite world of celebrity luxury and supercar dealers is on full display is the new discovery+ series, MILLION DOLLAR WHEELS executive produced by academy award®-winner, Jamie Foxx. Watch the series premiere on February 28, 2022 on discovery+.

How to Celebrate the Autumn Equinox

From seasonal foods to candle-lit evenings, here are some simple ways to celebrate the autumn equinox.

Carole Baskin Shares Her Story in a new Two-Part discovery+ Docu-Series

Carole Baskin is on a mission to protect Big Cats and to stop the abuse of Big Cats forever. CAROLE BASKIN’S CAGE FIGHT is coming to discovery+ on Saturday, Nov. 13.

California Oil Spill Wreaks Havoc on Wildlife

A devastating oil spill caused by a pipeline failure off the coast of Orange County, California has sent 126,000 gallons gushing into the Pacific ocean.

Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Nnadi Tackled Shelter Adoption After His Super Bowl LIV Win

Kansas City Chiefs Derrick Nnadi had two things on his to do list this weekend - win Super Bowl LIV and help the good people of Kansas City adopt animals from the KC Pet Project.

Jackson Galaxy Returns for Animal Planet COVID-19 Special

Galaxy is faced with a whole new set of quarantine cat behaviors that test his skills against some of the most claw-some felines he has ever met. Watch a special MY CAT FROM HELL on Animal Planet July 11 at 10P ET.

Internet Cat Superstar Lil BUB Dead at Age 8

Lil BUB, the cat whose unique appearance spawned an internet empire, has passed away at age 8.