Animal welfare violations have swarmed a Miami roadside zoo owned by a former drug trafficker featured in the Netflix documentary Tiger King. Federal wildlife inspectors discovered multiple infractions during a March inspection at the Zoological Wildlife Foundation (ZWF), including a clouded leopard that had a leg amputated and a capybara that died following botched breeding attempts.
Violations Found at ZWF
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspection on March 30 cited critical violations of the Animal Welfare Act. Inspectors reported dilapidated, insecure, or unsafe housing conditions, filthy cages, and water and food contaminated with algae and dead insects. The zoo, which charges $1,500 an hour for offsite field trips featuring animals like alligators, arctic foxes, and ball pythons, is owned by Mario Tabraue, a former cocaine trafficker who served 12 years of a 100-year sentence for narcotics and racketeering.
Leopard Injury and Capybara Death
The inspection highlighted two incidents from January. A female clouded leopard named Petra had her left leg amputated after being attacked by a male through a gap under a shared door during a breeding attempt. A female capybara was found dead on January 1 after being housed with a male for six weeks; the owner stated the male likely killed her while trying to mate. The USDA ordered immediate separation of incompatible animals.
Animal welfare groups, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), renewed calls for ZWF's closure. Klayton Rutherford, PETA's director of captive wildlife advocacy, said, "The facility chases profits at the expense of animal welfare, and animals are paying with their lives and limbs." He noted that ZWF tried to profit from Petra's injury by posting a video asking for donations.
History of Violations
ZWF has a history of violations, including a 2021 incident where a lion cub bit a child. Rutherford expressed cautious optimism about increased public awareness and USDA enforcement, but stressed that such businesses are inherently incompatible with animal welfare.
