Joe Exotic, the star of the Netflix show Tiger King, has defended a tiger that mauled its handler to death.

Ryan Easley, who had known Exotic “for many years”, was killed by a tiger in Oklahoma on Saturday, according to a statement on his Facebook page.

Easley has been performing with a tiger at Growler Pines Tiger Preserve when he was attacked by the animal, Choctaw County Sheriff Terry Park said.

By the time police arrived Easley had died from his injuries, local media reported.