Call to cull tiger shows

NEW YORK In the wake of the recent scandal and closure of Thailand’s Tiger Temple, a World Animal Protection report claims there is evidence of widespread abuse of captive tigers at the hands of Thailand’s tiger tourism industry.

The international animal welfare organisation’s report was released, Wednesday, ahead of International Tiger Day (Friday, 29 July).

World Animal Protection’s latest report, ‘Tiger selfies exposed: a portrait of Thailand’s tiger entertainment industry’ claims to be the first comprehensive study of the tiger entertainment industry in Thailand.

The global non-profit uncovers a fast-expanding tiger tourism industry with a third (33%) more captive tigers in Thailand in the last five years.

At the time of its investigations in 2015 and the beginning of 2016, there were 830 tigers in captivity at entertainment venues, compared to the 623 in Thailand, counted during earlier research in 2010.

Tiger entertainment venues are increasingly popular attractions where tourists can get up close and personal for a once-in-a-lifetime encounter with a wild tiger in captivity.

Besides indicating a worrying trend in the growing numbers of captive tigers, the report also evidences the intensity of the cruelty involved in tigers being made submissive enough to entertain tourists.

The main welfare concerns witnessed by the investigators at tourist venues were:

Tiger cubs were separated from their mothers, two to three weeks after they were born.

Young cubs were presented to tourists and constantly viewed and mishandled hundreds of times a day, which could lead to stress and injury.

Tigers punished using pain and fear in order to stop aggressive, unwanted behaviour.

Most tigers were housed in small concrete cages, or barren enclosures ,with limited access to fresh water.

50% of the tigers observed were in cages with less than 20 square metres per animal, a far cry from the 16 to 32 kilometers they would roam in a single night in the wild.

One in 10 (12%) of the tigers observed showed behaviour- related problems, such as repetitive pacing or biting of their tails, indicating a stressful environment.

Of all of the 17 major tiger entertainment venues the report claimed Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Pattaya had the highest number of tigers in captivity.

World Animal Protection, Head of the Wildlife – Not Entertainers campaign, Julie Middelkoop, claimed there were 207 more tigers in residence at tourist entertainment venues in Thailand than five years ago.

“We’re asking tourists to think about the welfare of tigers, and we’re calling on the travel industry to stop promoting and profiting from tiger cruelty,” she said in the press statement. “If you can get up close to, hug, or have a selfie with a tiger, the attraction is cruel. Don’t go.”

World Animal Protection is calling for: Governments worldwide to investigate tiger entertainment venues and close down those that show evidence of illegal trade, cruelty, or neglect

It called on TripAdvisor and other travel companies to end their sales and promotion of cruel wildlife entertainment attractions.

TTR Weekly offered TripAdvisor an opportunity to comment on the report, but without a response at press time.

Middelkoop added: “TripAdvisor, the largest travel site in the world, continues to promote and sell tickets to cruel tiger tourist venues. They could be a real part of the solution and help to end the suffering of tigers.”

The report recommended that travellers should stay away from any wildlife tourist entertainment venues that allow direct human-animal interaction, such as hugging and selfies with tigers.

sourced:ttrweekly.com