HUGO — Ryan Easley , a wildlife caretaker and advocate for tiger conservation, was killed Saturday in a tragic accident involving a tiger at the Growler Pines Tiger Preserve near Hugo , Oklahoma.

The incident occurred on September 20, when Easley was fatally mauled by one of the tigers under his care.

Easley was attacked during an act with a tiger and was not breathing when deputies arrived at the scene, according to the Choctaw County Sheriff’s Office. Sources indicate Easley was performing a tiger demonstration when the animal turned on him.

The preserve issued a statement calling Easley “a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation ” and described the incident as “a painful reminder of both the beauty and unpredictability of the natural world”. Easley was an associate of J

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