Tiger Trainer Ryan Easley Mauled to Death By Giant Cat That ‘Turned On Him’

Tiger handler Ryan Easley was killed Saturday after he was fatally mauled by a tiger that he had trained for years at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve in Hugo, Oklahoma.

Few details on the attack are available so far, but ABC’s World News Tonight had a brief report on Easley’s death on Sunday evening.

“An exact cause has not been released, but sources tell ABC News [that Easley was performing an educational demonstration with a tiger he’s trained since he was a cub when the animal apparently turned on him,” Sunday anchor Linsey Davis reported.

Easley had been a handler for years and was reportedly an “associate” of Joe Exotic, the star of Netflix’s “Tiger King” documentary, according to the The Oklahoman. KOCO 5, a local ABC affiliate in Oklahoma City, reported the preserve announced Easley died during “an accident involving a tiger under his care.”

“This tragedy is a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world,” the preserve said on its Facebook account. “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.”

Growler Pines Tiger Preserve, NBC News reported, has canceled all tours and animal encounters following Easley’s death.

It’s not known whether Easley’s wife Eliane and their 9-year-old daughter Lily were present at the time of the attack.

Easley became an apprentice circus tiger trainer at the age of 21, before founding ShowMe Tigers, a company focused on the “proper care” and training of “performing tigers,” according to its website, in 2015. ShowMe Tigers is a part of the larger Growler Pines preserve.

“In 2011, his mentor retired and left him with five tigers, including Zeya, a 13-year-old still with the family,” according to an article in Oklahoma Living. “The original five formed the foundation of his business, ShowMe Tigers. He added educational components to entertainment — teaching the public how and why they train tigers.”

Beyond receiving local acclaim for his work with tigers, some animal rights activists also accused Easley of mistreatment in the past. The Humane Society, in 2017, accused Easley of whipping a tiger 31 times in two minutes and forcing his animals to live in poor conditions.

Hugo, where the attack took place, has been nicknamed “Circus City USA,” for its history as a winter home for dozens of circuses throughout the United States.

ShowMe Tigers has about 9,500 followers on Facebook, where the business features several pictures of Easley with tigers.