In 1989, Mario Tabraue was convicted on charges related to narcotics and racketeering, and he was sentenced to 100 years in prison. Later, he became one of the cast of eccentric - and dangerous - side characters on the Netflix documentary Tiger King. And right now, he owns a
private 'exotic animal' zoo in Miami, Florida - where female animals have been suffering horrific fates.Sign the petition to demand that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) shut down Tabraue's so-called Zoological Wildlife Foundation in Florida!Staff were under order to force two pairs of animals to mate, as part of a breeding program that would financially benefit the zoo. Cute baby animals are a certain tourist attraction, or they could be sold to other zoos. But under U.S. laws, specifically the Animal Welfare Act, any animals that are housed near each other or in the same enclosure together must be 'compatible.' And it is deeply obvious that staff did not follow this law.
How do we know?
Staff locked a female and male capybara together for six weeks, hoping it would result in a pregnancy. But records show that when the male tried to force the female to mate with him, he became aggressive and
killed her. In another case, a
female leopard named Petra - an endangered clouded leopard - was boarded next door to the male staff hoped she would mate with. A small gap under the door allowed them to interact when they were not locked together for mating sessions. It appears that Petra put her paw through the gap - and the male pounced on her,
mauling her so badly that veterinarians had to amputate Petra's entire leg. The private zoo then tried to use Petra's injury to garner sympathy with the public and raise more funds.
Meanwhile, federal inspectors also found a plethora of other violations at the facility, from filthy and dilapidated housing to unsafe food and water that was filled with bugs and algae.
Meanwhile, the Zoological Wildlife Foundation has continued to profit from its animals - selling "field trips" for $1,500 per hour to show off exotic wildlife. Animals are not entertainment or possessions. They are living, breathing beings and must be treated with respect and compassion.
It's not clear how a known narcotics trafficker could be allowed to run a zoo where he's supposedly 'caring' for captive exotic animals. But obviously, the Zoological Wildlife Foundation cannot be trusted with the health and safety of its animals. Sign the petition to demand that the USDA shut down this facility immediately!