86 tigers rescued from Thailand’s controversial Tiger Temple have died of disease
- Tourists could pet tigers and pose for selfies with them at the Buddhist monastery, which was later raided for mistreatment and wildlife trafficking
- Authorities say the 147 rescued tigers were vulnerable to illness due to inbreeding, and more than half of them had since died
The tigers were vulnerable to illness because of inbreeding, leading to laryngeal paralysis causing respiratory failure, said national parks official Patarapol Maneeorn. A total of 86 of the 147 tigers moved to government-run wildlife sanctuaries died.
The temple in the western province of Kanchanaburi served for more than a decade as a de facto zoo where tourists could feed tigers and pose for photos and selfies with them, despite concerns about possible mistreatment and suspicions of wildlife trafficking.
Tiger parts, such as ground bones, are popular as traditional medicine in Asia. Tiger hides can sell for tens of thousands of dollars in China.
The DNA of all 147 confiscated tigers could be traced to six tigers who were the original breeding stock, said Patarapol.
Such inbreeding “affects their well-being, resulting in disabilities and weakened health condition”, he said told a news conference. “And when they have weakened genetic traits, they also have problems with their immune system as well.”