The Tiger Temple in Thailand's Kan-chana-buri town has won a last minute reprieve to keep 150 tigers, after being threatened with closure last year. The news comes as a shock to animal rights campaigners, who have complained for years that the tigers were being exploited for profit.
The Tiger Temple in Thailand's Kan-chana-buri town has won a last minute reprieve to keep 150 tigers, after being threatened with closure last year. The news comes as a shock to animal rights campaigners, who have complained for years that the tigers were being exploited for profit.
For years it has been one of the most popular tourist destinations in Thailand.
A secluded temple where you can get up close and personal with one of the great predators.
The Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, visited by hundreds of thousands who bring in over five million dollars a year in revenue. But controversy has raged for some time about the conditions at the temple, and the ability of the monks to look after their cats. So it was a considerable surprise to animal welfare groups in Thailand when the temple was recently awarded a zoo license by the department of national parks.
The decision is even more confusing because the temple was raided last year, and several tigers were found to be missing, presumed trafficked.
And because of the poor conditions under which the tigers are kept, the Department of National Parks removed ten tigers, and announced it would remove the other one hundred and forty six this year.
This is the Department of National Parks. The organization is responsible for granting zoo licences, but rather through political implements and money.
The fact that the Temple generates so much income, seems to give it protection from those who want to shut it down.
The monks say that the profits are ploughed back into the upkeep of the animals, but the run down conditions inside suggest otherwise.
Others are concerned the problems go even deeper, and this decision sets a poor example for others looking to generate income from the exposure of exotic animals.
For the moment however, the temple has won a reprieve.
The Department of National parks say if the outstanding criminal cases do return a guilty verdict then the zoo will be shut down. But for the moment, the temple appears to be above the law.
