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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Ryan Easley, 37, died after a tiger attacked him during a show at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve near Hugo, Oklahoma, on September 20, 2025. The Choctaw County sheriff said the attack happened toward the end of the show and Easley was dead when deputies arrived. Later reporting on an autopsy report attributed his death to blunt and sharp force trauma and crushing injuries due to tiger mauling.
What happened to Ryan Easley?
Sheriff Terry Park told the Associated Press that the attack occurred toward the end of a show witnessed by audience members. He said the tiger bit and shook Easley. KXII reported that the sheriff’s office was dispatched at about 2 p.m. and deputies and paramedics arrived at approximately 2:10 p.m.; Park said Easley was deceased when they entered the ring.
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Growler Pines described the death as an accident involving a tiger, expressed grief, and said tours were canceled until further notice. Its statement called the tragedy “a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world” and said, “Ryan understood those risks – not out of recklessness but out of love.”
What was the cause of Ryan Easley’s death?
The Epoch Times reported in December 2025 that an autopsy report attributed Easley’s death to blunt and sharp force trauma and crushing injuries due to tiger mauling. The original report was not directly reviewed for this article, so this finding is attributed to The Epoch Times’ reporting.
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Who was Ryan Easley?
Easley owned Growler Pines Tiger Preserve, a private facility near Hugo that offered tours to view tigers and demonstrations about their training and care, according to the Associated Press. PETA said Easley operated ShowMe Tigers and traveled with tigers for entertainment performances. Those broader descriptions of his business history are PETA’s claims and should not be treated as independently established findings.
Was Ryan Easley connected to Joe Exotic?
Yes. The Associated Press described a 2012 certificate of veterinary inspection recording that Easley obtained two 11-month-old tigers from G.W. Exotic Animal Park, Joe Exotic’s facility in Wynnewood. AP reported that an Oklahoma Department of Agriculture spokesperson said the certificate appeared authentic. This documents the provenance of those two tigers; it does not establish every aspect of Easley’s business history.
PETA separately said Easley acquired tigers from Joe Exotic and Bhagavan “Doc” Antle for ShowMe Tigers and traveled with them for performances. That is PETA’s account, an advocacy organization’s claim, rather than a conclusion independently established by the documentary record described by AP.
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The evidence supports describing Easley as having a prior professional connection to Joe Exotic through the big-cat business. It does not establish that Joe Exotic had any role in or prior knowledge of Easley’s death.
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The available reporting describes a tiger attacking Easley during the show, but does not establish the precise trigger for the attack or an official explanation of the animal’s behavior. AP reported that the outcome for the tiger was not immediately known. Do not assume what happened to the animal after the attack.
AP reported that an Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation spokesperson said federal permits from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service would apply because the facility did not house animals native to Oklahoma. AP said inquiries to those federal agencies had not been returned at the time. The available reporting does not confirm Growler Pines’ specific permit status.
PETA Foundation senior director of captive wildlife Debbie Metzler said it was “really only a matter of time” before the cats responded with aggression to a stressor. That is PETA’s advocacy perspective, not a sheriff’s or investigator’s finding about why this attack occurred.
What remains unknown?
- The tiger’s individual history and what happened to it after the attack.
- The precise trigger for the attack and any final investigative explanation.
- Whether Growler Pines’ specific federal permits were confirmed by the agencies.
- Whether or when tours resumed after the initial cancellation announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was Ryan Easley killed?
He died after a tiger attack during a show at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve near Hugo, Oklahoma.
When did the tiger attack happen?
The attack occurred on September 20, 2025. KXII reported that responders arrived at approximately 2:10 p.m., based on Sheriff Terry Park’s account.
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What was the cause of Ryan Easley’s death?
The Epoch Times reported that an autopsy report attributed the death to blunt and sharp force trauma and crushing injuries due to tiger mauling. The original report was not directly reviewed here.
Was Ryan Easley connected to Joe Exotic?
AP reported that a 2012 inspection certificate recorded Easley obtaining two young tigers from Joe Exotic’s G.W. Exotic Animal Park. PETA made broader claims about Easley’s business and performances; those claims should be attributed to PETA.
What happened to the tiger?
AP said the tiger’s outcome was not immediately known. The available reporting does not establish what happened to it afterward.
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Did Growler Pines close?
The available dossier supports that the preserve announced tours were canceled until further notice after the attack. It does not establish whether or when tours resumed or whether the preserve later closed.
The Bottom Line
Ryan Easley, 37, died after a tiger attacked him during a show at Growler Pines near Hugo, Oklahoma, on September 20, 2025. AP documented a connection to Joe Exotic through a 2012 certificate recording the acquisition of two tigers from Exotic’s facility. Later reporting on an autopsy attributed the death to trauma and crushing injuries from tiger mauling; the tiger’s subsequent outcome and the precise trigger for the attack remain unknown in the available reporting.
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