Crown Ridge

In October 2025, Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge welcomed two remarkable tigers, Sebastian and Shakira Luna, to their new forever home in the Ozark Mountains. Their arrival followed the difficult closure of Crown Ridge Tiger Sanctuary in Missouri, a fellow Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries–accredited facility. When Crown Ridge announced it would close, Turpentine Creek stepped in to ensure the tigers would continue receiving the highest standard of care.

For Shakira Luna, the move marked a powerful reunion years in the making.

Born on April 9, 2010, Shakira Luna began life at Joe Exotic’s facility before being transferred to a small roadside zoo. Life there was stressful, and tension between Shakira Luna and her sister, Jasmine Magnolia, eventually led to Jasmine’s rescue by Turpentine Creek. When the roadside zoo later closed, Crown Ridge provided Shakira Luna with a safe place to live and receive care for digestive issues related to metabolic bone disease from her early years.

Now, more than a decade later, the sisters are together again. At Turpentine Creek, Shakira Luna lives near Jasmine Magnolia at Rescue Ridge, where they can see and hear each other from neighboring habitats. Shakira Luna has settled in beautifully—stretching in the sun, chuffing softly, and charming the animal care team with her personality and her fondness for what staff jokingly call “old-lady perfume.”

Sebastian’s story also comes full circle with his return to Turpentine Creek.

Originally rescued from Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma, in May 2021, Sebastian was placed at Crown Ridge through the Big Cat Sanctuary Alliance because Turpentine Creek’s habitats were full at the time. His mate, Priscilla—who was relocated to Turpentine Creek—gave birth shortly after to triplets DOJ, Jinx, and Rosie. The cubs were born unable to walk due to severe flexural tendon contracture, but with months of dedicated therapy from the animal care team, they grew into healthy, thriving tigers.

Following Crown Ridge’s closure, Sebastian arrived at Turpentine Creek’s Freedom Field, where he enjoyed a spacious habitat with a heated den, pool, and climbing platforms. After a previous growth reappeared along his upper jaw, our veterinary team confirmed it as an aggressive oral cancer in March. At that point, our team made the compassionate decision to let him go—the last gift we could give him. At Turpentine Creek, we always place the animal’s quality of life first—no matter how hard it is to say goodbye.