More Than Half of the Tigers Rescued From Thai Tiger Temple Have Died
Before shutting down, the Tiger Temple allowed tourists to take photos with captive tigers. (Flickr)
Of the 147 tigers rescued from the controversial tiger temple in Thailand, 86 have died under the custody of the Thai government, according to a September 16 press release by the Department of National Parks (DNP). The report cited viral diseases and inbreeding as the official causes of death.
In June 2016, the Thai government seized 147 tigers from Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno, a Buddhist temple that once attracted tourists with opportunities to take selfies with captive tigers and bottle-feed cubs. Authorities shut down the temple zoo after National Geographic and the conservation nonprofit Cee4Life uncovered the possible trafficking of tiger parts.
While searching the temple, authorities discovered the carcasses of 40 newborn tiger cubs preserved in bottles. Subsequently, authorities began to capture the roaming tigers with tranquilizer guns. According to the then-deputy director general, the rescued big cats looked “fairly healthy.”
However, three years later, more than half of them have died. Authorities attribute the cause to two major diseases: a respiratory illness and Canine Distemper Virus. Alleged inbreeding exacerbated the severity of the diseases by compromising the tigers’ immune systems.
Some have criticized Thai authorities for mishandling the situation. Edwin Wiek, director of Wildlife Friends Foundation, claimed that the deaths were “a disaster waiting to happen” because authorities kept the tigers in small cages while failing to listen to expert advice. The tiger temple was also critical, accusing the government of playing a “blame game.”
“Despite our lack of academic knowledge, we used kindness so the tigers lived in wide spaces and not in cages,” said the temple caretaker.
The deaths of the rescued tigers come as the latest reminder of the proliferation of tiger farms and tiger trafficking in Thailand. According to BBC, there were at least 30 tiger farms in the country when the Buddhist temple was searched. Despite their legality, the farms are subject to very weak regulations, making the illegal trade of tiger parts a distinct possibility. As a result, Thailand has become a hub for trafficking, satisfying demands for the valuable skin in China and Vietnam. However, so far, law enforcement against these illicit activities have been ineffective.
The World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) estimates that around 3,890 tigers remain in the wild globally, which pales in comparison to the 7,000-8,000 tigers held in captivity throughout east and southeast Asia. According to WWF, tiger farms can be a “significant obstacle to the protection and recovery of wild tiger populations” because these facilities can make law enforcement difficult by complicating the process of distinguishing between the illegal and legal trade of tiger products. Moreover, the WWF claims that tiger farms perpetuate an existing demand, which creates an incentive for poaching.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature currently classifies tigers as endangered. Numbering at around 10,000 at the start of the 20th century, the population of these big cats has shrunk to a mere few thousand due to hunting and habitat destruction. However, the precarious status of this species is by no means an isolated phenomenon, and mitigating the consequences of human activity will continue to pose a great challenge to conservationists worldwide.