The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that lions, tigers, lion-tiger hybrids, and a jaguar were removed from the Tiger King Park in Thackerville, Oklahoma, due to concerns about the animals treatment.

They belonged to Jeffrey Lowe and his wife Lauren, who co-starred with Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin in the TV show.

A civil suit was lodged against the couple in November, accusing them of recurrent inhumane treatment and illegal care of Endangered Species Act-protected animals.

The park had been inspected three times since December 2020, according to a statement released by the Department of Justice on Thursday.

A judge held the Lowes in contempt of court last week after they failed to follow prior court orders to hire a trained veterinarian and formulate a care plan for the animals.

The DOJ is attempting to rehome the animals in "responsible animal preserves where they can be safely maintained rather than abused," according to Acting Assistant Attorney General Nichola McQuaid.

Daniel Card, the couple's solicitor, told the judge that they "want out absolutely."

He said, "They don't want to fight this any longer, they don't want to do this."

"Watch Tiger King 2 for the true story, not the story made up by a crooked DOJ," Mr. Lowe's attorney Walter Mosley said in a statement to People magazine.

Mr. Lowe was ordered to hand over ownership of the GW Exotic Animal Park in Wynnewood, Oklahoma, featured in Tiger King to his co-star Carole Baskin in June of last year.

He announced two months later that the park had been "closed effective immediately" and that all of the animals had been relocated to the Thackerville park.

He said the old park will be used for Tiger King-related filming in a now-deleted Facebook post.

There has been no word about whether or not the show will be renewed for a second season on Netflix.

Exotic's real name is Joseph Maldonado-Passage, and he is currently serving a 22-year sentence for his part in a murder-for-hire plot.