Bagheera the Jaguar's Story

Bagheera came to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (TCWR) in May of 2021 when the Refuge assisted the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in seizing 68 big cats from the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park (Tiger King Park) in Oklahoma. The animals lived in debilitating conditions, inside 10′ x 20′ metal and wire “shipping containers” with sand or rotting plywood flooring. The previous owners refused to follow multiple court orders to cease breeding and failed to maintain and provide veterinarian records, resulting in authorities serving a warrant to seize all animals.

At his previous facility, Bagheera lived with two large lions in one of the small enclosures. The young jaguar suffered hair loss on his tail, likely caused by the stress of being bullied by the two lions as he clung to the safety of a corner. Once he arrived at TCWR, Bagheera received a spacious natural habitat. As he relaxed into the peace of sanctuary life, the hair on his tail grew back. Now that he can finally play with toys without harassment, he will often collect all of them and hoard them in his night house. Bagheera enjoys relaxing on his high-beam platforms, which mimic his natural tree-dwelling behavior. In the summer, he enjoys cooling off in his pool and practicing stealthy skills, like pouncing into the water and drowning his toys.