The Black Jaguar-White Tiger Foundation (or BJWT) is an unregistered and unlicensed non-profit

501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...

wildlife facility located in Mexico. BJWT hosts

big cat The term "big cat" is typically used to refer to any of the five living members of the genus '' Panthera'', namely the tiger, lion, jaguar, leopard, and snow leopard. Despite enormous differences in size, various cat species are quite similar ...

s as well as dogs and other animals. BJWT was shut down by Mexican authorities on July 5, 2022, due to a viral video showing the cats eating themselves alive.

History

In 2013, BJWT was founded in Monterrey, Mexico by businessman Eduardo Serio. The organization's big cats come from circuses, breeders and zoos. Numerous celebrities have visited the facility, including

Lewis Hamilton Sir Lewis Carl Davidson Hamilton (born 7 January 1985) is a British racing driver currently competing in Formula One for Mercedes. In Formula One, Hamilton has won a joint-record seven World Drivers' Championship titles (tied with Mich ...

Khloe Kardashian Chloe (; ), also spelled Chloë, Chlöe, or Chloé, is a feminine name meaning "blooming" or "fertility" in Greek. The name ultimately derives, through Greek, from the Proto-Indo-European root ', which relates to the colors yellow and green. T ...

and

Kendall Jenner Kendall Nicole Jenner (born November 3, 1995) is an American model, media personality, and socialite. She is a daughter of Kris Jenner and Caitlyn Jenner, and rose to fame in the reality television show ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians.'' Je ...

in a 2015 episode of

Keeping Up With the Kardashians ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' (often abbreviated ''KUWTK'') is an American reality television series which focused on the personal and professional lives of the Kardashian family, Kardashian–Jenner Stepfamily, blended family, airing b ...

Paris Hilton Paris Whitney Hilton (born February 17, 1981) is an American media personality, businesswoman, socialite, model, and entertainer. Born in New York City, and raised there and in Beverly Hills, California, she is a great-granddaughter of Conra ...

and The

Backstreet Boys Backstreet Boys (often abbreviated as BSB) are an American vocal group consisting of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, and cousins Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson. Lou Pearlman formed the group in 1993 in Orlando, Florida. The gr ...

. Concerns over unsafe contact between humans and big cats have garnered criticism from animal rights advocates. Both

PETA Peta or PETA may refer to: Acronym * Pembela Tanah Air, a militia established by the occupying Japanese in Indonesia in 1943 * People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, an American animal rights organization * People Eating Tasty Animals, an ...

and Wild Welfare have criticized BJWT for exploiting and mistreating the wild cats, keeping them in small enclosures and promoting wild cats as pets. 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. The foundation is not accredited by the

Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries is a non-profit group which provides certification for animal sanctuaries, rescue centers, and rehabilitation centers through verification and accreditation. The group was founded in 2007 and is locate ...

. 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. 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.

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. According to prosecutors, Serio is wanted for "extreme abandonment and mistreatment of hundreds of large felines." 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".

References

External links

* Cat conservation organizations Cat sanctuaries Nature conservation in Mexico Organizations established in 2013 {{Mexico-org-stub