Zoo Known for Animal Bites, Escapes Looks to Rebrand

At a zoo in Louisiana, a missing Nile crocodile is just one entry on a long list of animals that have slipped away. In a reported feature for the Wall Street Journal, Rachel Wolfe details how the private facility in Ethel—initially known as Barn Hill Preserve, then renamed to Magnolia Wilds—has lost track of everything from kangaroos and capybaras to a herd of water buffalo and a lynx, all while racking up 43 federal infractions since 2021. Former staffers describe late payroll, food shortages, and animal-related injuries to staffers and visitors alike, including during $200 swims with otters in green, algae-filled pools.

Founder Gabriel Ligon, now 34, has walked away, donating roughly 125 remaining animals to employees who are relaunching the place as nonprofit Sanctuary Hill. He insists "zoo things" simply happen. Working in an office, "your printer might break, while if you work at a zoo, an animal may escape," he tells Wolfe. Though he vows never to work in the zoo industry again, former employees say dysfunction is baked into the facility and doubt the new team—short on zookeeping experience and money—can turn it around. For the full, deeply reported look at "America's most dysfunctional zoo," read Wolfe's piece at the Journal.