By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-03 06:03:44 | Updated at 2026-06-06 23:19:13
3 days ago
Magnolia Wilds is a private zoo in Ethel, Louisiana known for its up-close attractions including swimming with otters and wine tastings with sloths.
But despite all it has to offer, former staff have dubbed it 'America’s most dysfunctional zoo' due to alleged missing animals and visitors being attacked, the Wall Street Journal reported.
The environment has even been compared to the Netflix documentary Tiger King.
'It’s not as messy as "Tiger King" was, but it's close,' former zookeeper Josh Webb told the outlet.
Magnolia Wilds was established in 2012 by Gabriel Lignon, who grew up in the area and spent his college summers rehabilitating wildlife.
He purchased an acre of his grandfather’s farmland and expanded it into a private zoo - but the growth came with significant flaws.
Rare exotic animals including a Marabou stork, a herd of water buffalo, and a safari exhibit of bison, zebras and antelope were 'misplaced.'
The animals have attacked both employees and visitors, including an incident in which a hyena bit a teenager. The teen was not seriously injured.
Guests could pay $215 to swim with otters and penguins, though staff said the otters were known to bite.
The owner of Magnolia Wilds, Gabriel Lignon
The private zoo known for its up-close attractions - including swimming with otters and wine tastings with sloths
Former employees told the outlet they were instructed to reassure participants that the bites were 'just animal things' and give out Band-Aids and ointment.
A baby Nile crocodile was kept in an outdoor enclosure secured with cinder blocks and a grate, but the next day it had disappeared. Ligon believes an employee stole the reptile, while staff suspect it escaped.
'It was one of those places where something is always going wrong,' former tour guide Haley Berger told the outlet.
But the owner disagreed, drawing upon the fact he 'lived a wild life' where 'wild things happened.'
'If you work in a high rise office your printer might break, while if you work at a zoo, an animal may escape,' he told the outlet.
Between 2021 and this past February, United States Department of Agriculture inspectors found 43 violations at the zoo, according to the outlet.
These included two alpacas that died from parasite infections, a Sand Cat that died after a flea infestation, and an inadequate barrier between the lynxes and the public.
Despite all it has to offer, it has been dubbed 'America’s most dysfunctional zoo'
Guests could pay $215 to swim with otters and penguins, though staff said the otters were known to bite
Between 2021 and this past February, United States Department of Agriculture inspectors found 43 violations at the zoo
Lignon wants to step away from the zoo entirely
But now Lignon wants to step away from the zoo entirely, donating its remaining 125 animals to employees who are converting it into a nonprofit.
He told the WSJ he plans to return to his passion for jungle conservation: 'I can promise that I will never work and/or participate in the zoo industry again.'
Veterinary technician Lauren Cotton will become animal care director at the new nonprofit renamed to Sanctuary Hill.
She believes the best option is to keep the animals in their habitats and reduce human interaction, possibly allowing only sloth feedings.
The organization also plans to seek accreditation from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.
