Thailand’s Tiger Temple Raid Highlights Need to Close Tiger Farms in Asia

[webfact]

Thailand’s Tiger Temple Raid Highlights Need to Close Tiger Farms in Asia

Gland – Following the serious crimes recently uncovered during a raid on Thailand’s Tiger Temple, WWF is using Global Tiger Day today to call on governments across Asia to investigate all tiger breeding centres and close any operations proven to be involved in the illegal tiger trade.

Closure of these operations, commonly referred to as 'tiger farms' to distinguish them from legitimate zoos or captive breeding facilities established for conservation purposes, would significantly boost efforts to save the world’s remaining wild tigers.

In June, authorities in Thailand launched a crackdown on the Tiger Temple. Along with 137 tigers, they found the bodies of 40 tiger cubs in a freezer, 30 cubs preserved in jars and about 1,000 amulets made from tiger skin.

“The shocking images from the Tiger Temple of tiger cubs frozen and prepared for the illegal trade provide clear evidence of what is really going on behind the scenes at these tiger farms and why they must be closed,” said Michael Baltzer, Leader of WWF Tigers Alive Initiative. “Closing tiger farms will help countries to achieve the ambitious goal of doubling wild tiger numbers by 2022.”

Full story: http://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/?274510/Thailands-Tiger-Temple-Raid-Highlights-Need-to-Close-Tiger-Farms-in-Asia

-- WWF Global 2016-07-29

[seajae]

unfortunately if there is money to be made from this these places will continue to do so. The fact the tiger temple is still denying any wrong doing is a total farce and shows just how much disdain the monks have for the laws of the country and the teachings they are supposed to follow, it would appear if the monks/temples can make money even when it is illegal and against their teachings they will, personal wealth has become the number one consideration for them these days

Edited July 29, 2016 by seajae

[The stuttering parrot]

The breeding centres will be in an uproar over this !

[craigt3365]

unfortunately if there is money to be made from this these places will continue to do so. The fact the tiger temple is still denying any wrong doing is a total farce and shows just how much disdain the monks have for the laws of the country and the teachings they are supposed to follow, it would appear if the monks/temples can make money even when it is illegal and against their teachings they will, personal wealth has become the number one consideration for them these days

It was finally proven the tiger temple was dodgy. What amazed me was how many said it was OK before the closure!! Even argued for it to stay open! LOL

[williamgeorgeallen]

dont understand this whole thing. should we close down all the sheep farms to save the sheep? maybe we should just regulate the tiger farms and they can help the species survive. no, no, dont get a good feeling from doing that, better to let the species become extinct.

Edited July 29, 2016 by williamgeorgeallen

[Farma]

Meanwhile in the USA there are more tigers (5,000) in peoples backyards than in the wild (3,200).

http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/more-tigers-in-american-backyards-than-in-the-wild

I see a tiger zoo near Ubon that I visited in the past is now closed too.

Edited July 29, 2016 by Farma

[DM07]

Closing?

Yeah sure...that is the only way!

Because in Thailand, things are either black (open) or white (close).

Regulating and monitoring them, so they could actually contribute to breed Tigers for release into the wild...nooooo...we can't have that!

[peterb17]

SriRacha tiger zoo must be one of the most depressing places I have been to. Absolutely close it down.

Some one may correct me- but I cannot see how any of the tigers could be released back into the wild, or how exactly they are involved in conservation.

I have not been there for a long time and no one I know would ever choose to visit that ghastly place. I would imagine it caters for the Chinese tours these days?

[tuanku]

dont understand this whole thing. should we close down all the sheep farms to save the sheep? maybe we should just regulate the tiger farms and they can help the species survive. no, no, dont get a good feeling from doing that, better to let the species become extinct.

The tiger farms feed and boost demand in the trade in illegal tiger parts. As a consequence poachers without access to farmed tigers target wild tigers to make a living from the enhanced trade in parts. Nobody dealing in bits of tiger knows or cares whether they came from wild or farmed tigers. Farmed tigers increase demand and to some extent legitimize the trade, and wild populations suffer as a consequence.

[williamgeorgeallen]

dont understand this whole thing. should we close down all the sheep farms to save the sheep? maybe we should just regulate the tiger farms and they can help the species survive. no, no, dont get a good feeling from doing that, better to let the species become extinct.

The tiger farms feed and boost demand in the trade in illegal tiger parts. As a consequence poachers without access to farmed tigers target wild tigers to make a living from the enhanced trade in parts. Nobody dealing in bits of tiger knows or cares whether they came from wild or farmed tigers. Farmed tigers increase demand and to some extent legitimize the trade, and wild populations suffer as a consequence.

cant understand this. if tiger parts are worth so much then there more farms will be converted. can you give me one example of an animal that became farmed where number actually reduced? can even tax the farms and use the money toward protecting tigers in the wild. dont think there are many left in thailand to protect however.

quote

Available data suggest that there are no more breeding tigers left in Cambodia, Vietnam and China. More than half of the total population is found in the Western Forest Complex in Thailand, especially in the area of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary

there are are about 250 tigers left in thailand which basically means they are extinct in the wild. farms and zoos are their last chance.

Edited July 29, 2016 by williamgeorgeallen

[tuanku]

dont understand this whole thing. should we close down all the sheep farms to save the sheep? maybe we should just regulate the tiger farms and they can help the species survive. no, no, dont get a good feeling from doing that, better to let the species become extinct.

The tiger farms feed and boost demand in the trade in illegal tiger parts. As a consequence poachers without access to farmed tigers target wild tigers to make a living from the enhanced trade in parts. Nobody dealing in bits of tiger knows or cares whether they came from wild or farmed tigers. Farmed tigers increase demand and to some extent legitimize the trade, and wild populations suffer as a consequence.

cant understand this. if tiger parts are worth so much then there more farms will be converted. can you give me one example of an animal that became farmed where number actually reduced? can even tax the farms and use the money toward protecting tigers in the wild. dont think there are many left in thailand to protect however.

quote

Available data suggest that there are no more breeding tigers left in Cambodia, Vietnam and China. More than half of the total population is found in the Western Forest Complex in Thailand, especially in the area of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary

there are are about 250 tigers left in thailand which basically means they are extinct in the wild. farms and zoos are their last chance.

Maybe this article, one of many on the topic, can explain better than I can. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/the-horrific-truth-about-chinas-commercial-tiger-breeding-farms/

"While tiger farms may have been created to slow the demand for illegally poached wild tigers, studies show that they hardly work to this end. Commercially bred tiger parts are more expensive than those that can be purchased illegally on the black market. Further, these farms take all of the stigma away from purchasing or consuming tiger in any way. What little concern consumers had for purchasing endangered tiger is completely done away with when they buy farmed tiger parts.

Many who support the captive breeding of tigers see this as a viable breeding population. Unfortunately, none of the tigers currently being bred on tiger farms are candidates for reintroduction into the wild, nor do the owners of the farms wish to see the wild population conserved. The owners of tiger farms make their living off of exploiting and abusing these animals while they’re alive, and profiting off of them again once they’ve passed."

[williamgeorgeallen]

dont understand this whole thing. should we close down all the sheep farms to save the sheep? maybe we should just regulate the tiger farms and they can help the species survive. no, no, dont get a good feeling from doing that, better to let the species become extinct.

The tiger farms feed and boost demand in the trade in illegal tiger parts. As a consequence poachers without access to farmed tigers target wild tigers to make a living from the enhanced trade in parts. Nobody dealing in bits of tiger knows or cares whether they came from wild or farmed tigers. Farmed tigers increase demand and to some extent legitimize the trade, and wild populations suffer as a consequence.

cant understand this. if tiger parts are worth so much then there more farms will be converted. can you give me one example of an animal that became farmed where number actually reduced? can even tax the farms and use the money toward protecting tigers in the wild. dont think there are many left in thailand to protect however.

quote

Available data suggest that there are no more breeding tigers left in Cambodia, Vietnam and China. More than half of the total population is found in the Western Forest Complex in Thailand, especially in the area of the Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary

there are are about 250 tigers left in thailand which basically means they are extinct in the wild. farms and zoos are their last chance.

Maybe this article, one of many on the topic, can explain better than I can. http://www.onegreenplanet.org/animalsandnature/the-horrific-truth-about-chinas-commercial-tiger-breeding-farms/

"While tiger farms may have been created to slow the demand for illegally poached wild tigers, studies show that they hardly work to this end. Commercially bred tiger parts are more expensive than those that can be purchased illegally on the black market. Further, these farms take all of the stigma away from purchasing or consuming tiger in any way. What little concern consumers had for purchasing endangered tiger is completely done away with when they buy farmed tiger parts.

Many who support the captive breeding of tigers see this as a viable breeding population. Unfortunately, none of the tigers currently being bred on tiger farms are candidates for reintroduction into the wild, nor do the owners of the farms wish to see the wild population conserved. The owners of tiger farms make their living off of exploiting and abusing these animals while they’re alive, and profiting off of them again once they’ve passed.

once they are extinct in the wild then the farming can start up properly. thats the way this is going. i wish it could be different but with the rate humans are taking away the tigers habitat it is just a matter of time. i would prefer the market to be flooded with tiger parts to the point where they become cheap to the point it is not worth hunting them in the wild. not going to make much difference in the end however.