‘Tiger King’ big cat euthanized at Pittsboro animal sanctuary. What they suspect
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Carolina Tiger Rescue euthanized Naveen after tests showed irreversible brain damage.
- Naveen, rescued from Tiger King Park in 2021, developed strokes and neurological decline.
- Sanctuary reaffirms lifetime care commitment amid emotional losses and public support.
Staff at Carolina Tiger Rescue are mourning the loss of Naveen, a “charismatic and social” tiger rescued from the notorious Tiger King Park, following a decline in health.
The Pittsboro sanctuary announced Naveen’s euthanasia this week after diagnostic tests and observation revealed irreversible brain damage, according to a Facebook post. What led to the 11-year-old tiger’s neurological symptoms is unknown, wrote Kathryn Bertok, the assistant director of Carolina Tiger Rescue.
Naveen was one of 68 big cats rescued from the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park, also known as “Tiger King Park,” in Oklahoma in summer of 2021. The 54-acre exotic zoo was featured on the Netflix series, “Tiger King,” and was operated by Joe Exotic. The park was shut down in 2020 due to violations of the Endangered Species Act.
At Carolina Tiger Rescue, Naveen was one of four big cats there from the Oklahoma zoo and one of seven tigers.
He had “nose-freckles,” was known to be talkative and liked to rub his face against his fence and make a “mooing” noise, according to the sanctuary’s website.
The tiger would chuffle, or purr, whenever visitors came to greet him.
The decline of the pale-orange tiger began in mid-December, Bertok wrote.
Keepers first noticed Naveen retreating to his denbox and refusing food. An initial physical examination and blood work under sedation proved inconclusive, Bertok wrote. However, Naveen was treated for dehydration and gastrointestinal distress. Lab results also showed the Naveen suffered strokes.
“Sadly, that led us to suspect cancer or a brain tumor,” Bertok wrote. “We no longer had a way to keep him comfortable. With that, we made the decision to euthanize him.”
Carolina Tiger Rescue is home to 13 species of animals, including tigers, raccoons, cougars, lions and kinkajous. Many of the animals have been rescued from situations were they were kept as pets, in roadside zoos, or at failing sanctuaries.
The rescue’s website has a page dedicated to all of it’s “passed” animals that includes 19 other tigers. There are an estimated 3,800 to 5,500 tigers left in the wild and the big cat is currently on the endangered species list mainly due to poaching and habitat loss.
“From providing sanctuary to letting him go peacefully, it was an honor to be a part of Naveen’s story,” Bertok wrote.
This story was originally published February 12, 2026 at 11:16 AM with the headline "‘Tiger King’ big cat euthanized at Pittsboro animal sanctuary. What they suspect."