A social media figure with a checkered past opened an exotic animal zoo on the outskirts of Temecula called "The Wyld Jungle." This has had county officials and animal welfare advocates very concerned.
Operated by Michael Holston — who goes by the moniker “The Real Tarzann” — the facility at 38831 Pauba Road is being targeted by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) because of a "continued exhibition of regulated species without a license," the organization said.
In a March 27 letter to Roxanne Mullaney Deputy Administrator of USDA-APHIS-Animal Care, an attorney representing PETA implored the federal agency to take aggressive enforcement action against "this unlicensed exhibition before animals or the public are seriously injured."
Holston could not be reached for comment about the allegations.
On his Instagram account, Holston is pictured with a variety of wild mammals and reptiles, including an elephant, orangutang, cheetah, giraffe, rhino, snakes, gators/alligators, and others. It's not clear how many animals are housed at The Wyld Jungle.
"Holston lacks sufficient, if any, experience working with the exotics at The Wyld Jungle and does not appear to have hired experienced personnel to help him care for these animals," the PETA letter claims. "Holston’s inexperience and reckless behavior [have] created a dangerous environment for the facility’s employees, the animals, and the public who have engaged in direct contact encounters.
"Nearly every video and vlog Holston posts to social media is riddled with AWA violations and concerning behavior," the letter continues.
In one image posted to the Wyld Jungle website, Holston and children hold a giant snake. The photo appears on the facility's "Private Events" page. According to the site, a "VIP all-inclusive party" at The Wyld Jungle costs $9,999.
The Wyld Jungle location is the site of a property called Sweet Oaks Ranch and Black Site Ranch. The sprawling multi-acre estate features a 5,000-square-foot six-bedroom home, past real estate listings show.
Holston made news headlines before opening The Wyld Jungle early last year.
He was issued 10 citations by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission in 2018 for unlawfully selling wildlife without a license; that history makes him ineligible for an Animal Welfare Act exhibitor license from the USDA, according to PETA.
A 2019 news report from the Miami Herald documented Holston's legal woes in the Sunshine State. In August 2019, he allegedly attacked an Instagram personality. He was also facing possible jail time for illegally selling iguanas and snakes he claimed to have rescued. Holston was also accused of stiffing an artist who painted a huge graffiti-style “Tarzann” mural at the social media star’s home, according to the news report.
PETA alleges Holston also had ties to the notorious South Carolina-based Tiger King, Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, who was convicted in November of wildlife trafficking. Antle pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the federal Lacey Act — which prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife, including animals protected under the Endangered Species Act — and conspiracy to launder money.
The Miami Herald article stated Holston rented a home at a wildlife compound owned by Antle.
The Wyld Jungle is also under the radar of Riverside County code enforcement. On October 19, 2022, a complaint about illegal grading on the property was received, and less than a month later a complaint about a petting zoo came in.
County officials visited the property, and they handed out a Notice of Violation, an Order to Abate, and a Notice of Intent to Inspect. The owner came into compliance on the grading issue, but two cases of an unpermitted business/petting zoo remain open, according to an email Wednesday from Transportation and Land Management Agency spokesperson Felisa Cardona.
The Wyld Jungle was forbidden to operate until it came into compliance.
"They have still not secured a permit. A follow-up inspection on March 20, 2024, found a sign on the premises indicating that the property was a habitat refuge and not open to the public. Staff could not gain access at that time and Code Enforcement is continuing to work on next steps in this case," Cardona said.
Cardona could not say how many animals, or what types, might currently be housed at the property.
PETA is pushing for criminal prosecution against Holston due to The Wyld Jungle’s "long-standing apparent unlawful exhibition and the serious safety concerns."
The PETA letter states it "strongly urges the USDA to take aggressive action by referring this case to the Department of Justice for a federal lawsuit seeking an injunction preventing the facility from exhibiting without a license and to hold Holston criminally liable for any and all illegal conduct occurring at The Wyld Jungle."
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