In March 2020, Tiger King hit Netflix right around the time the first COVID-19 pandemic lockdown occurred in the United States. It seemed perfectly timed—a bonkers documentary series coupled with a strange shift in Americans’ daily habits. But Tiger King omits what the new documentary The Conservation Game showcases: the corruption of conservationism in the big cat industry.
Directed by Michael Webber, the documentary shows the familiar faces of Carole and Howard Baskin and Joe Exotic of Tiger King, combined with footage of the main focuses of the film: Tim Harrison, a retired cop and exotic animal expert, and Carney Anne Nasser, the attorney who prompted the wildlife trafficking case against the Baskins, the founders of Big Cat Rescue.
The Conservation Game raises questions about the community of zoologists and the safety of exotic animals, which the Big Cat Public Safety Act aims to protect.
The Conservation Game—named Best Social Justice Documentary at the 2021 Santa Barbara International Film Festival—will screen at Downtown's Art Houz Theaters from September 16-19 and 23-26. For ticket information, go here.
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