Myrtle Beach, SC safari owner featured on Netflix’s Tiger King indicted on felony wildlife trafficking charges in Va
The owner of a safari in Myrtle Beach, SC that was featured on Netflix’s Tiger King is facing felony wildlife trafficking charges in Virginia.
The Office of the Virginia Attorney General announced indictments Friday against Bhagavan “Doc” Antle and Keith Wilson, the owner of Wilson’s Wild Animal Park in Winchester, Va., with two felony wildlife trafficking charges and 13 misdemeanor charges related to animal cruelty as well as violations of the Endangered Species Act.
Attorney General Mark Herring’s office filed the indictments following a months-long investigation between Antle and Wilson, who allegedly trafficked lion cubs between South Carolina and Virginia.
Wilson was charged with 46 counts of animal cruelty last year in a separate case, and Herring’s animal law unit secured custody of 119 animals that were reportedly cruelly treated, neglected, or deprived of adequate care while at Wilson’s park. Some of the animals that were seized during execution of a search warrant at the park included lions, tigers, bears, camels, goats, water buffalo, and more.
Antle’s two daughters, Tawny Antle and Tilakum Watterson, were also indicted by a grand jury, with two misdemeanor charges filed against Antle, and four misdemeanor charges filed against Watterson.
