A 13-year-old tiger rescued from a shuttered Northern California attraction once derided by critics as the “worst roadside zoo in America” has arrived at her new home at the Oakland Zoo.
The tiger, named Sitara — Hindi for “star” — was among five big cats authorities say were left behind and neglected at a privately operated facility before they were rescued.
In a statement, the Oakland Zoo said it stepped in after the facility’s private owner asked for help finding appropriate placements for the tigers following their abandonment on the property.
Zoo officials said Sitara, described as a female generic tiger, is holding up well overall, though she is dealing with some lameness in her left hind leg.
All five tigers were initially taken to the Oakland Zoo, where veterinarians evaluated them and provided medical care before arrangements were made for long-term placement.
One of the animals, a 14-year-old female white tiger with health problems associated with inbreeding, received treatment at the zoo before being moved to a sanctuary in Arkansas. Two others — an 11-year-old tiger and a 13-year-old tiger — were sent to PAWS, while a fifth female tiger was humanely euthanized because of the severity of her condition.
The Oakland Zoo said it plans to share updates on Sitara’s condition and recovery on its social media channels.
Sitara’s arrival is the latest development following the collapse of the Barry R. Kirshner Wildlife Sanctuary in Oroville, a nonprofit that once promoted itself as home to some of the “rarest and most endangered” species on Earth before closing in November 2025.
Before the sanctuary closed, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife launched an animal cruelty investigation after rescuers found a severely malnourished tiger cub named Cleo suffering from 10 broken bones.
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) also sued the sanctuary, alleging its owners “packed up their ESA-listed animals and carted them off the premises, stashing them at other locations to avoid confiscation by government regulators” in July 2025.
“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,” said PETA Foundation Managing Director of Captive Wildlife Debbie Metzler.
