A tiger that mauled the abbot of a Thai temple under fire over the welfare of dozens of big cats in its care “didn’t intend” to attack him, the monk’s doctor said on Monday. More info
“Didn’t intend to attack.” :/ ah yes let’s downplay the danger of wild animals.
Anonymous said: Is it bad that I kinda have mixed feelings about the Tiger Temple cats being taken? As much as I think it's awesome they're finally being shut down, I'm pretty iffy on it until we hear more about where they're going. Like there have been mentions in a few articles about breeding facilities and releasing cats into the wild, neither of which sound great? Idk, I'm hoping for the best, but not expecting much.
Not bad at all, because I’m right there with you. I’m less than happy that they are planning on breeding these likely inbred and genetically impure animals, because they aren’t going to serve any conservation purpose. And they certainly can’t be released. However, the cages I’ve seen a few pictures of are definitely better than where they were. The cages aren’t awesome or ideal by any stretch but it’s better than being harassed by tourists and then crammed into tiny cages. I would also hope that if the new facility they’re going to is going to have so many “specialists” that they will know to feed the cats more than just boiled chicken.
But I’m with you, I am keeping an eye out for new details as they emerge to get a better idea of how good this is going to really be, but I think for now we can say that it is definitely going to be an improvement.
Following a series of dramatic events, Thailand’s Department of National Parks (DNP) director- general, Nipon Chotiban, has ordered all tigers to be removed from the Tiger Temple by the end of April.
Thai wildlife protection officers said they found no mistreatment of more than 100 tigers housed at a Buddhist temple that is a popular tourist attraction, though charges have been pressed for keeping rare
birds there.
About 50 officials from the wildlife department and local
religious affairs office, along with soldiers, made a three-hour
inspection on Thursday of the Luangtamahabua Buddhist temple compound,
famous for its tame-looking big cats living alongside Buddhist monks.
(AP)
Photography by AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit (2), Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha (2)
I am SO ANGRY. No mistreatment?! So living in tiny overcrowded cages with no enrichment is not mistreatment? Feeding them a HORRENDOUS diet is not mistreatment? Chaining them to the ground for tourists to harass for hours in the sun isn’t mistreatment? Tearing Cubs from their mothers regularly isn’t mistreatment? Refusing to euthanize or provide proper vet care isn’t mistreatment? Hitting cats and spraying urine in their face for “misbehaving” isn’t mistreatment? Putting the funds for their care second to the funds of the temple isn’t mistreatment? This is such fucking bullshit and I am BEYOND livid. Part of me knew this was too good to be true but my god, how can you be so blind?!
This is a devastating loss for the Tigers and I am so, SO saddened by this.
honeyswept said: I'm going to preface this with apparently (Phuket News reported on it)... Tiger Temple's animals have been impounded by authorities! I hope this is legit and it leads to good things for those animals. They're being investigated for illegal trading of protected bird species and their permits will be check on if they're allowed to raise 100 tigers. Am I allowed to be hopeful/excited?
That haven’t been taken yet but they are following a trail of pretty heavy evidence that they have been purchasing animals for the collection and trading them out also.
Oh, here! tigertimenow just posted this link on their twitter, there are some pictures in the article as well:
This comes from cee4life on instagram, whom I have just been made aware of by panthxra(through a video I will be posting soon also). I sometimes think I am past the point of being shocked. But then I see things like this.
This tiger….he looks close to death or drugged out of his mind. I know I often refer to the incredibly poor diet as a reason for the lethargy, but this is a different level. This is a cat that is so far from itself that there is no way it is just diet.
There is no logical way or reason people could defend this place after seeing things like this. Seeing such blatant abuse. Blatant cruelty.
And Tiger Temple’s response on Instagram when being asked about this?
he is not being drugged, we in no way sedate any of our tigers. This is an unfortunate media spin. […]
there was a lot of distractions making him somewhat excitable, and the guest continue to want the photo, placing the towel over his eyes preventing him from see what was going on and this[sic] allowing the photo. This is very easy for us to prove as it is very easy to take many videos of this tiger doing the head in lap photo without the towel.
Every year, hundreds of foreign tourists flock for the chance to view and interact with tigers at the Tiger Temple Thailand. Here, visitors are given the once in a lifetime opportunity to frolic with tiger cubs and pose alongside larger cats. Guests can also help feed cubs and exercise the lazier adults … something you rarely get to do in the United States! Maybe there’s a reason for that … when you understand the fact that tigers are endangered and that holding them in captivitycan cause them to become distressed and aggressive, it seems like big cats don’t make for the best candidates for hands on entertainment.
“Don’t listen to the MANY articles,” they say…"Go to Tiger Temple and judge for yourself,“ they say…
I’ve read so much about Tiger Temple, I’m not entirely sure what to believe. I don’t think one can form a full opinion on the issue unless they were there in person and witnessed the interactions between the tigers and monks live.
You don’t necessarily have to go somewhere to form an opinion. There’s the internet for that.
The interactions between the monks and the tigers don’t mean squat, especially since the direct interaction itself is enough to condemn the facility because of how irresponsible it is.
As someone who has been to Tiger Temple, let me tell you why you don’t need to travel there yourself to make an opinion.
Two years ago I traveled to Thailand with a tour group. One day a member of the group asked our tour leader if we would be able to visit Tiger Temple since we were in the area. At the time, I had never heard of Tiger Temple but it seemed so cool. Petting tigers? Playing with tigers?! What could be bad about that?
The temple its self doesn’t have much around it. Had I choose to sit the activity out, I would have been forced to sit on a hot bench or in a hot bus for a few hours. However, the thought of skipping didn’t even cross my mind. I was so excited! We were given a brief talk by english speaking volunteers about how safe the temple was and how they absolutely under no circumstances gave their animals any drugs. Awesome.
We walked a tiger down to the picture area. Literally walked. You are constantly surrounded by people grabbing your camera to get a good picture. I was struck by how calm the tiger was, not seeming to care at all about all the activity around him.
At the picture area there were probably around 20 tigers chained in various areas. Many of them were so “asleep” that they hardly moved at all the whole time I was there. No animal would sleep that deeply in the presence of hundred of stranger making lots of noise. Yet, check this guy out.
Not a care in the world. Suspicious? Yes. The last tiger I took a picture with was younger than the rest and very fidgety. Every sound seemed to freak him out. The worker told me that he was “beat up by his brother” and thats why he acted that way. After working in a veterinary hospital for two years, I say he was having a reaction to his drugs. Sometimes the drugs that are supposed to calm the animals down have the opposite reaction instead. Thats what I saw there.
That is not an animal that is at peace with his surroundings. That tiger was freaked. Notice that his chains had been removed. Incredibly unsafe for all involved.
Speaking of unsafe, Tiger Temple also lets you play with the adolescent tigers! You walk through there enclosure and back yourself up against a wall. The workers hand you a large stick with a bag tied to the end. Like this:
They then tell you to smack the water around the tiger to get it to play. The tigers had already had one play time before us so they weren’t interacting much. The workers didn’t like this much (I guess they wanted to make sure we got what we paid for?) so they would kick and poke the tigers. One lady even yanked on the tigers tail! These tigers were not on drugs. They were not calm. They are also huge. After we left, our tour guide told us about a person who had been mauled a week before in the pit. Here’s a look at how large the tigers are that we were “playing” with.
I have told people since that going in to that pit was probably one of the stupidest decisions I have made in my life. It isn’t safe for the humans or for the tigers.
My friend and I got in a conversation with one of the monks. None of the monks speak good english but this guy was trying his best. When asked if he liked the tigers he said “No. They are mean.” So, don’t think that the tigers and monks have some sort of bond. They don’t.
Also, remember that nothing can be killed on temple grounds. There were many signs telling us that killed meat was brought in daily to feed the tigers. It seemed to be mostly chicken and it didn’t smell too great. (Yes, I handled it. I was allowed to feed some to a young tiger.)
One last thing before I go. There were two sun bears at the temple. Here, check them out.
Notice anything a little off? Thats right, they’re huge. As in, morbidly obese. If the monks/workers can’t give the sun bears the proper nutrition and care that they need, why would you think they can do so for the tigers?
If I had known what I know now I would have never given a dime to Tiger Temple. But, I can’t take it back. I hope this gives people a little inside glimpse of life at the temple. It is not a good environment. It is not safe for you or for the animals. Do not go to tiger temple. Do not support them.
My god…Thank you, deeply for posting this. I have gone at length about the tigers, but I have never spent time on the sun bears. And I am sick. My stomach dropped and I feel like I could cry for these two. That bear in the back…jesus. I know that the tigers are given a horrendous diet(boiled chicken only) so it only makes sense that the sun bears would be subjected to the same thing, but I never imagined. I never would have thought that they would be in such horrendous condition. I am near speechless.
you guys i’m in a heated argument with tiger temple here on instagram
(contains tiger temple claiming that tigers will get sick when eating raw meat, tiger temple denying most of what they’re accused of doing, tiger temple claiming that they’re better than big cat rescue and more!)
