About 20 tigers are expected to be moved out of temple on Tuesday



KANCHANABURI: -- Officials of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation Department are expected to move an addition of 20 out of 131 remaining tigers from Wat Luangta Bua in Kanchanaburi province.

Only six tigers were moved out of the temple to their new home at Khao Pratapchang and Khao Son wildlife propagation station in Chom Boeng district of Ratchaburi. The problem stemmed from temple’s guards refusing entry for park officials until the latter managed to come up with a court’s warrant which was then in the evening.

About 400 park officials, military personnel and police were involved in the operation to relocate the 137 tigers housed in the compound of Wat Luangta Bua Yannasampanno.

Mr Adisorn Nootdamrong, deputy director-general of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation, disclosed that the department allowed the temple to keep the tigers in cages on the temple’s ground after it met the required qualifications.

The tigers, he said, do not belong to the temple but were seized by park officials from illegal owners.

However, he said that the temple broke the department’s rule by letting the cats out of the cages and exploiting the animals for financial gains by allowing them to be photographed with or fed by tourists.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/165486


-- Thai PBS 2016-06-01

Has anyone considered what to do with the tigers after removal from the monastery? Is it really possible that any government department has the resources or wherewithal to care for them in a decent environment?

those tigers looked like they were being well cared for. i understand there were some allegations of tiger parts being sold for profit but at is also important to note tat these are endangered animals that are being breed to help keep the species going. hope they dont just 'vanish' like aot of other confiscated items do in thailand.

International news are saying that the Forest Rangers found 40 tiger cubs dead in a freezer near the temple kitchen and 40 more tigers are to be removed from there.