The Tiger King saga continues with a new documentary, this time focusing on another big cat enthusiast, Doc Antle.
When the first Tiger King filmed aired last year during the first lockdown, Antle – who owns The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.) – stood out for the unique way in which he runs his park.
Antle seemed to run the 50-acre wildlife preserve, located in South Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, USA, more like a cult than an animal sanctuary.
Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story, which arrived on Netflix today (10th December), promises to look at “the shocking truth behind Doc Antle’s eccentric, animal-loving facade”.
Throughout the series, Doc is referred to by his new name Bhagavan. But what is his real name? And why did he change his name?
Here’s everything you need to know about Doc Antle.
Who is Doc Antle?
Mahamayavi Bhagavan ‘Doc’ Antle is the founder and director of The Institute for Greatly Endangered and Rare Species (T.I.G.E.R.S.)
Antle acquired his first tiger in 1982 and it reportedly took six months for the big cat to let him pet it.
He later loaned his animal-handling services to films like Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls and Mighty Joe Young. He earned a considerable amount from this type of work, and had enough money to purchase a Myrtle Beach property. It’s here where he opened an animal sanctuary for big cats and apes.
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What is Doc’s real name?
Doc was born Kevin Antle on 16th March 1960, in Salinas, California. Antle was raised by a wealthy family on an industrial farm and his father was a boxer who fostered discipline in him through martial arts.
He inherited an interest in Eastern philosophy from his mother, who nursed sick horses in their family kitchen.
In the docuseries, Antle’s first wife Betsy ‘Brahmi’ Rogers says their names were changed by Swami Satchidananda – an Indian guru and spiritual master – who they followed as members of Yogaville. After their marriage, they attended a one-month yoga retreat at Yogaville to become yoga instructors and Swami made their name changes. Betsy became Brahmi and Antle was given the name Sri Mahamayavi Bhagavan.
Meanwhile, other sources claim his mother gave him the Hindu name “Bhagavan” meaning “friend of God”.
In the docuseries, it’s said that Antle was awarded a PhD at the age of 21 for zoology.
In a clip, he says: “I’m a doctor, right, on one side. I’m ‘Doc’ because I’m an MD. So I’ve got a whole… I’ve gone through and done a lot of autopsies. And I’ve been through a lot of bodies and seen a whole lot of sickness.”
His ex-wives Betsy and Radha Hirsch don’t believe that he is a medical doctor, with Hirsch saying: “To my knowledge, he’s not a doctor. When he was in China, he paid somebody to write ‘doctor’ on some certificate. And Frankly I would never let him stick a needle in me.”
“He was never an actual doctor. He wanted to be one but he didn’t have the patience for school, so he just says he is,” Betsy adds.
In the first Tiger King series, Antle referred to himself as a doctor of mystical science, and it is reported that he studied abroad in China and obtained a doctorate in Chinese medicine after years in the field.
What happened to Doc Antle and where is he now?
Antle wasn’t happy with Tiger King’s portrayal of him, calling the doc a “salacious, outrageous ride”.
“Remember, this is not a documentary. This is a salacious, outrageous ride through a television show produced to create drama, to just tie you in to some crazy train wreck of a story between the feud of Carole Baskin and Joe Exotic, and the meltdown that ensued between two people who both are far too close to murder themselves, and I think a little bit of madness thrown in on their parts,” he said.
In December 2019, authorities raided Antle’s safari park, however, he wasn’t charged until a year later. On 9th October 2020, Antle was charged with one felony count of wildlife trafficking, one felony count of conspiracy to wildlife traffic, four misdemeanour counts of conspiracy to violate the Endangered Species Act, and nine misdemeanour counts of animal cruelty.
Antle denied the claims, saying in a statement: “I categorically deny any act or conduct that could ever be considered as ‘animal cruelty’. I have spent my entire professional life promoting the welfare and conservation of big cats and other species.
“I have deep regard and feelings for the animals in my care and would never hurt or abuse them in any way. I look forward to being able to answer these charges and to be able to clear my good name.”
Tiger King: The Doc Antle Story is streaming on Netflix now. You can also check out the best best series on Netflix and best movies on Netflix to keep you entertained or visit to our TV guide for more to watch.