Tigers being sent to refuge

An Oklahoma zoo has struck a deal with animal welfare activists to transfer 19 tigers at the center of a federal lawsuit to a Colorado wildlife refuge.

Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park reached an out-of court agreement with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to send the tigers to an animal sanctuary, according to court records.

Neither side is talking about the terms of the recent settlement.

Joseph “Joe Exotic” Maldonado, entertainment director at the Wynnewood zoo, said the agreement terms are confidential. Maldonado is a Libertarian candidate for Oklahoma governor in 2018.

PETA also is not at liberty to speak publicly about the arrangement, said David Perle, it’s spokesman.

Court documents indicate the animals have been sent to The Wild Animal Sanctuary in Keenesburg, Colorado, a 720-acre refuge for more than 450 rescued animals including lions, tigers and bears.

The Wild Animal Sanctuary claims to be the largest carnivore animal sanctuary in the world. Calls to the animal sanctuary were not returned.

PETA took Greater

Wynnewood to court earlier this year, seeking an inspection of the 19 tigers while guarded by armed U.S. marshals. The deal to transfer the animals to Colorado was reached on the eve of the Nov. 11 inspection.

A Florida zoo, Dade City’s Wild Things, sent the tigers to Oklahoma in

July, allegedly to avoid a court-ordered inspection by PETA.

PETA filed a lawsuit in 2016 claiming the Florida zoo violated the federal Endangered Species Act by separating tiger cubs from their mothers for paid photo sessions with customers. The Dade City zoo once allegedly

allowed customers to swim with tiger cubs in a pool, charging $200 in exchange for a half-hour swim.

The tigers left Florida en route to Oklahoma, the same day a federal judge issued an injunction ordering the Florida zoo not to remove any of the animals.