Baskin alleges that the beloved zookeeper didn't know or care where the animals ended up after their appearances on talk shows, despite telling audiences they'd be going to a zoo or sanctuary.
Carole Baskin is speaking out against famed zookeeper Jack Hanna and other wildlife experts.
“There are so many people that loved Jack Hanna. He was kind of this goofy guy that talked about conservation and saving animals,” said Baskin, who rose to notoriety on the hit Netflix docuseries “Tiger King” and competed on “Dancing With the Stars.”
Baskin is questioning Hanna’s commitment to the animals he regularly brought into our living rooms.
“After telling all these people on TV that these animals were going to the Columbus Zoo or that they were going to a wonderful sanctuary, that he doesn’t know and apparently didn’t even care where these animals ended up,” Baskin said.
The allegations against Hanna and other wildlife experts are featured in a new documentary, “The Conservation Game.”
“This is going to show that all of these faux-conservationists that we grew up loving and believing were doing good things for animals — They were trading in these animals at auctions. They were sending these animals to horrible, horrible places. Or they were just up and disappearing altogether after they had been used on the talk shows,” Baskin said.
Hanna’s family announced in April that the 74-year-old has dementia. His family wouldn’t return calls when asked to comment on Baskin’s allegations, nor has there been a response from the Columbus Zoo.
