Hunt for three tigers in Nan province

[webfact]

Hunt for three tigers in Nan province

NAN: -- A combined force of army, police, local administration and forestry officials has launched a hunt for a mother tiger and her two cubs which were spotted running on a laterite road in Tambon Chaisathan, Muang district of Nan province.

The presence of the tigers has caused panic among the local people in Tambon Chaisathan who immediately alerted the authorities for fear of their safety.

Initial examination of the footprints on the laterite road and other traces in its proximity by forestry officials today confirmed that they belong to tigers. A plan was then mapped out to catch the three animals alive.

Nan district officer Tosaporn Pongsrisook said the search party which included a company of troops was divided into two groups which will scour the 500 rai forest to look for the three tigers which were believed to be domesticated ones and released into the wild by their owners who might be afraid of getting arrested for illegal possession of rare wildlife species.

Amateur gliders and members of small plane club were also asked to join the search.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/hunt-three-tigers-nan-province/

-- Thai PBS 2014-06-30

[chainarong]

Lets hope that the news tomorrow headlines don't read, three dead tigers were found in Nan province, believed to have died of lead poisoning, poachers from Burma are believe to be the culprits.

[ezzra]

I just hope that when those tigers will be apprehended, that they will not be put in some kind of a zoo,

but be relocated to a part of the country away from people and hunters,

[ratcatcher]

Lets hope that the news tomorrow headlines don't read, three dead tigers were found in Nan province, believed to have died of lead poisoning, poachers from Burma are believe to be the culprits.

Anyone interested in the fate of tigers may find this stunning movie worth a look.

Filmed entirely in Cambodia's Angkor Wat area.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338512/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

[coma]

One hunt I am more than happy to watch from the sidelines. Mama tiger aint' going to be too happy. Hope her and her young aren't brutalized in the course of their catch. Such lovely animals they are.

[BSJ]

After they heard what was happening to the Cambodian's they have fled to Laos.

But they could get shot over there for being troublemakers.

Edited June 30, 2014 by BSJ

[Robby nz]

I just hope that when those tigers will be apprehended, that they will not be put in some kind of a zoo,

but be relocated to a part of the country away from people and hunters,

If they are indeed animals that have been reared in captivity then they will have no fear of man and will be used to being fed.

They will have lost to a certain extent the ability to survive in the wild.

If what I read is correct tigers need a large area in which to hunt and are quite territorial so to find an area suitable for tiger habitat that is not already populated may not be easy.

Even then this mother may seek out people as she is used to depending on them for food.

No I don't know the answer.

[wilcopops]

As ever Thailand is shortcoming in its dealings with the illegal wildlife trade. the most likely reason for these animals to be roaming in this area is they have escaped from captivity. This means that someone has managed either to capture a mother and her cubs or illegally bred them in captivity.

There was a world CITES conference in Thailand not ing ago (March 2013 I think), where Thailand made all sorts of noises about ending the trade in endangered species and the ivory trade.....months or over a year on the situation hasn't changed, just the odd "token" bust and incidents like this show that it is still possible to hold tigers captive with relative impunity.

[Dibbler]

Lets hope that the news tomorrow headlines don't read, three dead tigers were found in Nan province, believed to have died of lead poisoning, poachers from Burma are believe to be the culprits.

Agreed this news will attract every poacher (more likely Hmong or other hilltribe than Burmese) and wildlife trader (likely Vietnamese) from around northern Thailand to bag these animals. However, I suggest that the tigers will turn out to be some other animal, as tigers disappeared long ago from this part of the country, so forestry officials and villagers would have no idea what the tracks of a real tiger look like anymore. In any case, it will be a wild chase until something is turned up, probably shot to pieces in the process. Classic Thai hysteria!

[darhut]

18 months ago I was riding the back way to my home in Nakhon Phanom and only about 500 meters from my house out comes this cat in front of me, it was about the size of a medium dog with a great patern on it. I followed it for about 100 meters and then it darted back into the bush. As soon as I got home I googled it and it turned out to be a Clouded Leopard, almost hunted to extinction for its coat. Hopefully no one has eaten it yet as happens with most other wildlife around here.

[Jim walker]

Yes might as well shoot the last three tigers and the last few elephants then we won’t have to worry about poaching again for ivory or tiger bones crushed up to give some china man a boner when he comes to Pattaya on holiday.

[tingtongteesood]

That kind of thing happens when you go to live IN A FOREST. Tigers have the natural right to live there, you don't. Leave them alone.

[canuckamuck]

I just hope that when those tigers will be apprehended, that they will not be put in some kind of a zoo,

but be relocated to a part of the country away from people and hunters,

There is no such place here. Although there are places that are supposed to be like that.

[wabothai]

May be the news providers can keep us up to date on this matter.

Just to be sure the rights of the tigers are being honoured.

[wabothai]

May be the news providers can keep us up to date on this matter.

Just to be sure the rights of the tigers are being honoured.

[ginjag]

I hope that those tigers will be apprehended. And the area will be safe again.

IF the tigers are wild, they have every right to be in that area, because Nan town is surrounded by thousands of rai of open, mountainous land and natural habitat. It may be, as other posters have mentioned, that the tigers were born in captivity and have been released to avoid arrest.

Anyway, I agree, let's hope they are safely caught and relocated to a national forest where they can live naturally. With the army and the surrounding publicity, chances are they wont end up at Chez Plodprasop on the menu.

Just hope these fantastic animals can be caught without harm to them or people. Please keep us updated TVF.

[wilcopops]

I just hope that when those tigers will be apprehended, that they will not be put in some kind of a zoo,

but be relocated to a part of the country away from people and hunters,

At present no captive tiger has ever been successfully released into the wild. There is a captive "breeding program" in Siberia but that is quite different from "breeding in captivity".

Can you imagine what might happen if you release a tiger into the wild that has no survival skills and is not afraid of humans??????

[wilcopops]

Lets hope that the news tomorrow headlines don't read, three dead tigers were found in Nan province, believed to have died of lead poisoning, poachers from Burma are believe to be the culprits.

Agreed this news will attract every poacher (more likely Hmong or other hilltribe than Burmese) and wildlife trader (likely Vietnamese) from around northern Thailand to bag these animals. However, I suggest that the tigers will turn out to be some other animal, as tigers disappeared long ago from this part of the country, so forestry officials and villagers would have no idea what the tracks of a real tiger look like anymore. In any case, it will be a wild chase until something is turned up, probably shot to pieces in the process. Classic Thai hysteria!

They are believed to have escaped from captivity..or been released.

[wilcopops]

18 months ago I was riding the back way to my home in Nakhon Phanom and only about 500 meters from my house out comes this cat in front of me, it was about the size of a medium dog with a great patern on it. I followed it for about 100 meters and then it darted back into the bush. As soon as I got home I googled it and it turned out to be a Clouded Leopard, almost hunted to extinction for its coat. Hopefully no one has eaten it yet as happens with most other wildlife around here.

In all probability more likely to be a leopard cat than a clouded Leopard.

[wilcopops]

I hope that those tigers will be apprehended. And the area will be safe again.

IF the tigers are wild, they have every right to be in that area, because Nan town is surrounded by thousands of rai of open, mountainous land and natural habitat. It may be, as other posters have mentioned, that the tigers were born in captivity and have been released to avoid arrest.

Anyway, I agree, let's hope they are safely caught and relocated to a national forest where they can live naturally. With the army and the surrounding publicity, chances are they wont end up at Chez Plodprasop on the menu.

Contrary to popular perception, Thailand has a large amount of land that is potentially suitable for a tiger population....one estimate suggests a number up to 2000 is possible.

As for danger....if the animals are genuinely wild, the last thing they want is to go near any humans. I know people who have lived and worked in tiger reserves for over 20 years and have never seen a tiger.

Tigersvcwill follow tracks through thgeiur habitat....it makes sense as it is easiest way useing the least energy....but direct contact with humans they will avoid at all costs. Ifvthgey were on a p ubliuc road in daylight, it would indicate that they are either captive escapees or have had their habitat seriously disturbed.

[wilcopops]

So.....did they find them????