Oakland Zoo welcomes new tiger rehabilitated after rescue from notorious Northern California sanctuary
The Oakland Zoo is now home to a female tiger rescued from a notorious Northern California wildlife sanctuary that was forced to shut down last year.
On Thursday, the zoo announced in a press release that the tiger, named Sitara, is estimated to be 13 years old, is not yet ready for public viewing as she is still being rehabilited and experiencing some lameness in her left hind leg. The tiger currently has access only to her nighthouse and a temporary outdoor space; the zoo's animal care staff help her navigate her new habitat which includes pools, a waterfall, raised platforms, grass, and vegetation - all things the zoo said she has never had before.
Sitara's placement was part of an effort to rehabilitate a group of five tigers rescued after the closure of the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Foundation, in Orovile, Butte County, in early 2025. The foundation was shuttered after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife denied a renewal of a restricted species permit amid documented animal welfare violations. A subsequent lawsuit filed by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), resulted in Kirshner operators and their affiliates agreeing to give up possession of the tigers.
Before their rescue, the tigers were abandoned at a Kirshner-affiliated facility in Solano County, whose owner reached out to the Oakland Zoo for help finding them a suitable home, PETA said in a press statement. After being processed by Oakland Zoo veterinary staff, two male tigers were transferred to the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) in Sacramento County, and a third male taken to the Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge in Arkansas, both accredited sanctuaries. The fifth tiger, an elderly 16-year-old female, was found to be suffering from end-stage arthritis and spinal disease, and after not responding to intensive care, she was euthanized.
"These tigers endured hell on Earth in Kirshner's clutches, on top of which, when authorities closed in, the roadside zoo shuffled the animals around to other seedy facilities like so many stolen goods," says PETA Foundation Managing Director of Captive Wildlife Debbie Metzler. "PETA's lawsuit put Kirshner's cronies on notice and helped ensure that these tigers will finally get the care they need at accredited facilities."
Sitara, whose name translates to "star" in Hindi, moves into the Oakland Zoo's tiger enclosure after the deaths of the zoo's previous rescued tigers, Mia and Lola, earlier this year.
"The current tiger cases are not an isolated effort; they are part of a sustained, mission-driven response to wildlife exploitation and trafficking," Darren Minier, Oakland director of animal welfare and research said in a prepared statement. "Through direct rescue operations, partnerships with accredited zoos and sanctuaries, engagement in wildlife policy, and public education, Oakland Zoo continues to advocate for higher standards of care and stronger protections for captive wildlife."
Tigers in the wild usually have a life expectancy between 10 to 15 years, while those in accredited, high-quality sanctuaries can live between 15 and 20 years, and sometimes into their early 20s.
