Oregon Safari Park Reportedly Starved Lions and Left Dead Tiger in Freezer

State police raided West Coast Game Park Safari in Bendon, Oregon, on Thursday, as the roadside zoo faces allegations of animal mistreatment and neglect.

Years of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports have found that the park’s more than 450 animals live in shocking conditions, citing a dead tiger kept in a freezer for months, starving lions and leopards, rodent infestations, and other serious concerns.

The reports detail dozens of violations—many of which were repeat violations—within the past year alone. During the most recent federal inspection on April 1, officials observed two lions and a black African leopard with decreased muscle mass, “with hips, ribs and spine prominently displayed under the skin.”

The inspectors also cited stark health and safety issues, including feeding bins and storage areas contaminated with rodent feces. A March 18 inspection revealed “massive” amounts of metal, piles of rotting hay, food waste, and other debris surrounding a hay storage barn and an enclosure.

On January 22, investigators discovered a deceased tiger in a freezer with “numerous frozen turkeys laying on top of it.”

“The turkeys are being fed to the zoo animals,” the report states. “The facility representative stated that the tiger has been in the freezer with the food for several months.”

The animals aren’t the only ones being put in harm’s way. In 2023, inspectors cited the park for a “critical violation” after photos posted to social media showed visitors petting a jaguar and a Syrian brown bear—both old enough and large enough to endanger people. USDA reports detailing these and other concerns go back a decade.

Oregon State Police (OSP) officers served multiple search warrants when they arrived on scene Thursday morning, according to a statement. These warrants “are the result of a lengthy criminal investigation into the facility’s operations.”

“It … came to a point where we needed more information and that was only going to come from actually assessing the condition of the park, and so that’s where the warrants came in and that’s what we’re here to do,” OSP Captain Kyle Kennedy told local NBC station KOBI5.

Kennedy said his department started receiving complaints about the conditions of the park from local residents and nonprofits months ago. OSP is conducting the investigation alongside Coos County law enforcement and several other state agencies, including the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

Gizmodo reached out to West Coast Game Park Safari for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Established in 1968, this roadside zoo offers “up close and personal interaction” with 75 different animal species, according to its website. In 1985, then-owner Bob Tenney told the Eugene Register that the park draws 60,000 visitors per year, though it’s unclear how popular it is today.

Animal welfare advocates have long scrutinized roadside zoos. Tigers in America, a group that rescues and relocates tigers from “abusive” facilities, estimates there are more than 3,000 of them across 44 states.

The Animal Legal Defense Fund claims these tourist attractions frequently force animals to live in small, dirty cages, fail to adequately feed them, deny them medical care, and do not provide them with adequate mental stimulation.

The investigation into West Coast Game Park Safari is ongoing, and the park is currently closed to visitors. Authorities have yet to announce any arrests or plans for the animals at the zoo.