What Was Behind Mike Tyson’s Exotic Tiger Ownership and Its Risks?

Mike Tyson, famous for his boxing prowess, once extended his larger-than-life persona to his personal life by owning pet tigers. This unusual choice during the late ’80s and ’90s reflected his extravagant lifestyle and highlighted the challenges of exotic animal ownership.

Tyson‘s journey into tiger ownership began with a conversation in prison about trading luxury cars for exotic animals. This led him to purchase his first tiger, Kenya, for about $70,000. What started as an impulse grew into a collection of tigers, which Tyson saw as symbols of his opulent life.

Owning tigers was more than just a display of wealth for Tyson. These once-cute cubs grew into 400-pound beasts, demanding around $200,000 annually for their care. Tyson‘s life with these tigers was marked by both fascination and peril, including anecdotes of tigers in his bed, which he later humorously shared in interviews.

One of the most significant incidents involving Tyson‘s tigers occurred when one attacked a trespasser on his property. Tyson settled the resulting lawsuit for approximately $250,000, highlighting the dangers of keeping such powerful animals in an urban setting and sparking increased scrutiny on exotic pet ownership.

As Tyson‘s life changed, so did his approach to his tigers. After 16 years, he donated two of his tigers to a sanctuary, acknowledging the challenges of keeping such animals in domestic environments. Kenya remained with Tyson longer and even appeared in the film “The Hangover,” adding a humorous touch to Tyson‘s story.

Tyson‘s experience with tigers is a tale of excess and the impact of fame on lifestyle choices, but it also serves as a lesson in the responsibility and ethics of exotic pet ownership. His story has contributed to ongoing discussions about the welfare of wild animals and the need for more humane practices.