Lions feeding at the facility

The Black Jaguar-White Tiger Foundation (or BJWT) is an unregistered and unlicensed non-profit 501(c)(3) wildlife facility located in Mexico. BJWT hosts big cats as well as dogs and other animals.[1][2] BJWT was shut down by Mexican authorities on July 5, 2022, due to a viral video showing the cats eating themselves alive.[3][4]

History

In 2013, BJWT was founded in Monterrey, Mexico by businessman Eduardo Serio.[2][1] The organization's big cats come from circuses, breeders and zoos.[1][5]

Numerous celebrities have visited the facility, including Lewis Hamilton,[6][7] Khloe Kardashian and Kendall Jenner in a 2015 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians,[8][9] Paris Hilton and The Backstreet Boys.[2] Concerns over unsafe contact between humans and big cats have garnered criticism from animal rights advocates.[9][10] Both PETA and Wild Welfare have criticized BJWT for exploiting and mistreating the wild cats, keeping them in small enclosures and promoting wild cats as pets.[11][12] PETA have also raised concerns about the large amount of cubs, who are likely torn away from their mothers and don't have their basic needs met. They also claim that when the animals get older, they are typically cast aside.[12]

The foundation is not accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.[9][13]

In July 2022, footage was released of animals, particularly the big cats in "deplorable" conditions, struggling to stand, emaciated and gnawing off their own tails. The Association of Zoos, Breeders and Aquariums of Mexico AC (AZCARM) also filed a complaint with the Attorney General as well as a lawsuit against Serio, claiming that the facility was no longer licensed or registered after the animals were moved from the original approved habitat to a smaller, unsuitable space.[14][15][16] Former employees and activists have filed complaints, alleging that the animals are put down if they are too big for their enclosure and often die due to exposure to the elements, lack of food and water and lack of access to veterinary services.[17]

Shutdown

The facility was shut down on Monday, July 4 after being raided by Mexican officials. 177 felines, 17 monkeys, 4 canines, 2 donkeys and 2 coyotes were removed and placed with various Mexican zoos.[18] According to prosecutors, Serio is wanted for "extreme abandonment and mistreatment of hundreds of large felines."[19][20] Mexico's Attorney General alleges that the "Animals devoured themselves to avoid starvation." Documentary filmmaker Arturo Allende, who has been working on a documentary about Black Jaguar-White Tiger Foundation, stated that it was: “a holocaust for the animals".[20][21][22][23][24]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "ABOUT". blackjaguarwhitetiger.org. Archived from the original on 31 January 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  2. 1 2 3 Harris, Sarah (3 November 2015). "Heavy Petting - Miss Vogue visits Mexico's Black Jaguar White Tiger Sanctuary". Vogue. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  3. ↑ "'Animals devoured themselves to avoid starvation,' investigators alleging mistreatment at sanctuary say". BorderReport. 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2022-07-06.
  4. ↑ "Wild animal sanctuary in Mexico shuts down after abuse".
  5. ↑ Golgowski, Nina (16 August 2016). "Watch A Tiger Save His Handler From A Charging Leopard's Sneak Attack". Huffington Post. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  6. ↑ Horton, Helena (11 August 2016). "Lewis Hamilton criticised by Peta for 'foolish' Snapchat tiger selfies". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  7. ↑ Orde, Elena (12 August 2016). "The horrible truth behind Lewis Hamilton's seemingly cute Snapchat of tigers can't be ignored". The Independent. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "Keeping Up with the Kardashians - Lions, Tigers and Texts - TheTVDB.com". thetvdb.com. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
  9. 1 2 3 Knibbs, Kate (15 January 2016). "This Celebrity-Studded Instagram Petting Zoo Is A Disaster Waiting To Happen". Gizmodo. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  10. ↑ Haglage, Abby (7 January 2016). "Hollywood's Favorite Sham Petting Zoo". The Daily Beast. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Wild Welfare responds to animal welfare concerns at Black Jaguar White Tiger facility". Wild Welfare. 1 March 2018. Archived from the original on 2018-03-05. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  12. 1 2 "Black Jaguar–White Tiger: Sham Sanctuary". PETA. 30 March 2019. Archived from the original on 2019-03-30. Retrieved 28 November 2019.
  13. ↑ Weisberger, Mindy (29 January 2018). "Lion and Dog 'Shake Hands': What's Really Happening?". Live Science. Retrieved 7 February 2018.
  14. ↑ "Black Jaguar-White Tiger. Así pedían donativos, felinos vivían en condiciones deplorables". El Universal. July 5, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Denuncian a la Fundación Black Jaguar-White Tiger por maltrato animal". Reporte Indigo.
  16. ↑ Araiza, Adoración (July 4, 2022). "Exhiben maltrato animal en santuario felino del Ajusco en CDMX; la mayoría está en peligro de extinción". Archived from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved July 5, 2022.
  17. ↑ "(VIDEO) ¡SE ESTÁN MURIENDO LOS FELINOS!". Archived from the original on 2022-07-05. Retrieved 2022-07-05.
  18. ↑ México, El Sol de. "Se deslinda secretario de Harfuch del santuario Black Jaguar White Tiger". El Sol de México | Noticias, Deportes, Gossip, Columnas.
  19. ↑ "190 big cats 'devoured themselves to avoid starvation' at animal sanctuary". July 6, 2022.
  20. 1 2 "'Animals devoured themselves to avoid starvation,' investigators alleging mistreatment at sanctuary say". July 5, 2022.
  21. ↑ Durango, El Siglo de (July 6, 2022). "¿Qué es y qué pasó con Black Jaguar-White Tiger y su dueño 'Papa Bear'?". elsiglodedurango.com.mx.
  22. ↑ "Eduardo Serio se desmarca de maltrato animal; Arturo Islas lo pone en evidencia". Quién. July 5, 2022.
  23. ↑ "Destapan condiciones deplorables de los animales en Black Jaguar-White Tiger". Quién. July 4, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Rescatan a 177 felinos tras denuncias contra Eduardo Serio por maltrato animal". Quién. July 5, 2022.


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