Netflix Joe Exotic from Tiger King
The GW Zoo, which has a big focus in Netflix’s new series Tiger King, is now called the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park and it’s still going strong under new ownership. The zoo, formerly owned by Joe Exotic, is located in Oklahoma and yes, you can visit if you want. The park is now under new management. Here’s a look at how you can go to the animal park, along with maps showing its location.
The Park Is Still in Wynnewood
First, here’s a map of where the zoo is located.
And here’s a look at how far it is from Oklahoma City:
Google Maps
The zoo is about an hour’s drive from Oklahoma City, according to Google Maps. To get there, you’ll be passing by the Lexington Wildlife Management Area if you’re driving from Oklahoma City. The animal park is located right before you get to the Chickasaw National Recreation Area. The park is in Wynnewood and not far from the city of Joy, off 35 just past 29, but before you get to 7.
Zooming into the map, you can see that it’s very close to the Crossroads RV Park and the Arbuckle Pentecostal Church, across the highway from Elite Motor Sports. If you go to Google Maps and click on the park’s name, you can see lots of photos that users have shared of the exotic animal park. There’s even a street view option where you can see what it looks like from the road.
Here’s a look at what the park looks like as you approach in your car, courtesy of Google Street View.
Google Street View
When you drive up, there’s a wooden fence with Exotic Animal Park painted on the side.
The zoo is now under new ownership and it’s open for visits. In fact, a sign on the side says “Now Open.”
Google Street View
Here’s how the zoo looks from the other angle, according to Google Maps’ Street View.
Google Maps
A sign on the fence reads: “Welcome to America’s Largest Big Cat Sanctuary.” Another sign next to it reads: “Now Open.” So yes, the park is open! Of course, you can also find this out just by visiting their Facebook page.
Jeff & Lauren Lowe Now Run the Park
The animal park, located on 16 acres, is home to more than 50 species of animals. When Joe Exotic was convicted, Jeff and Lauren Lowe took over the park, Yahoo reported.
On March 11 they posted: “Coming March 20, 2020. Watch the Netflix docu series that shows how one couple who loves animals took out the World’s largest wildlife trafficker. PETA couldn’t do it, the USDA couldn’t do it. Watch how we helped the US Government take him down forever. After you see the lurid story, come visit the zoo and see where it all took place. But most importantly, come see how healthy and happy all the animals are, now that the horrible abuser rots in Federal Prison. Since we took over, the zoo has spent thousands upon thousands getting every animal the medical treatment and proper diets that greed robbed them of. We defy anyone to find a mistreated or neglected animal here. We are one of the few zoo owners in America with a spotless USDA history.”
An article in Oklahoma News 4 noted that at some point, the Lowes plan to move the park to Thackerville. But for now, they’re still in Wynnewood. In fact, you can book a VIP tour to interact with their exotic animals here. They’re open 365 days a year and have tours every day at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., according to their website.
They posted on Facebook on March 19: “We have some incredibly generous supporters. We’re doing great and when this Coronavirus crap has passed, we will ramp things back up.” Earlier in the day, they posted that they were still open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily for visitors and have exotic animals tours and private VIP tours too.
They’ve also shared on Facebook that some things in the documentary weren’t quite accurate, but overall Tiger King did a good job.
Jeff Lowe wrote:
Overall, we think they did a good job. A little sensationalism here and there, but for the most part it was a decent Readers Digest version, telling the story of a sick, twisted animal abuser. Joe Exotic.
When I agreed to be involved in this docuseries I was slightly concerned that my Son’s Of Anarchy lifestyle might be too much for the average person to handle. I make no apologies for living my life to the fullest extent. But those concerns completely vanished when I saw the segment on Doc Antle, Joe’s Messiah and role model. Even I was like WTF?
Regardless, Lauren and I remain committed to the care of hundreds of animals who rely on us to keep them safe and healthy. It has exhausted the small fortune I once held, I even sold my Ferrari to help build our animals larger enclosures. But I wouldn’t trade our lives with any Hollywood star.
We have some incredibly generous supporters. We’re doing great and when this Coronavirus crap has passed, we will ramp things back up.
I will always believe that our biggest contribution to the animal kingdom was helping the feds take down monsters like Joe Exotic and Tim Stark. No zoo we could ever build will have the positive impact of taking out the nation’s largest tiger cub traffickers.
Thank you all for your continued support. Lauren and I are forging on, everyday to complete a new facility that can provide our animals with more space, far away from “The Curse of Joe Exotic.'”
Since things can change quickly these days due to the coronavirus outbreak, it’s a good idea to call first before you go to visit. Their number is 405-331-8418 or you can check their updates on Facebook here.
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