In this video, National Geographic’s Mariana van Zeller speaks with Joe Exotic, a former zoo operator and convicted felon, now serving a 22-year sentence in a US federal prison, for, among other crimes, violations of the Endangered Species Act.

Thanks to their conversation, Van Zeller learns just how rampant the illegal tiger trade is in the United States… and why someone would even want to own a tiger in the first place.

View the original video here.

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