Temple tiger numbers face cut

KANCHANABURI : The National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department has asked Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua to bring under control the population of tigers in its care to curb a dramatic increase in their numbers.

Damrong Pidech, the department chief, yesterday visited the temple's tiger zoo, well-known among tourists in Kanchanaburi, after a complaint that the temple was profiting from the animals by allowing tourist visits.

"I have come here to take a look at the living conditions of these tigers," he said.

"Frankly speaking, their living conditions are better than those in state-owned zoos.

"If I move them out of here, I am afraid their living conditions might not be as good," Mr Damrong said.

He said the department needed to closely cooperate with the temple to curb the tiger population.

He was concerned a rapid increase in tiger numbers will pose an added burden for the temple.

"As far as I know, the temple has a veterinary team to control the tiger population. The abbot told me he will separate male and female tigers during mating season," he said.

In 2001, the department found the temple was keeping seven tigers illegally. The department allowed the temple to continue taking care of them, while declaring them illegal possessions. Since then, the number of tigers at the temple has soared to 99.

The temple's abbot initially refused to allow officials to enter the zoo yesterday, fearing the animals might be taken away. He eventually allowed them in after 20 minutes of negotiations.

Phra Vissuthisaradhera, the abbot, said that he disagreed with the department's plan to reduce the tiger population by transferring some of them to state-owned zoos or wildlife breeding centres.

"I am not sure the new places will have good conditions like this place. We are very close to the tigers. The animals may suffer from stress if they are taken away," he said.

The department could control their numbers through birth control but then it would have to carry out the job by itself.

The temple spends 400,000 baht a day buying chicken carcasses to feed the tigers.

About 150 tourists, mostly foreigners, visit the temple weekly. The temple charges a 300 baht entrance fee for Thais and 600 baht for foreign tourists.

This brings in about 84 million baht a year for the temple.

The temple's tiger zoo is located on 30 rai of land. The temple has spent about 100 million baht building cement cages and installing closed-circuit cameras to monitor the animals.

A department source claimed the temple has no intention of controlling the tiger population as having lots of them is good for business.

There are 1,328 tigers at zoos nationwide, with 143 of them seized from illegal traders. The country has about 200 tigers living in the wild.

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 11/09/2012 at 10:44 PM
About 150 tourists, mostly foreigners, visit the temple weekly. I have been there twice with friends from Canada who really wanted to see the tigers. Each time I have been there there are way more than 150 foreign tourists a day there let alone in a week. I can remember seeing 10-12 BIG buses full of tourists in the 3 hours that we are there.
Discussion 2 : 11/09/2012 at 03:54 PM
I've been reading what I can about this place for a long time and believe that it's a truly bad idea, shutting it down might not be a viable option either. Neuter and spade all of them and don't allow any more drop-offs (or if an orphan is dropped off, first thing to do is call the appropriate authorities. But let them keep the tigers until the last one is dead. And audit them once a month. I did watch a report about this place where breeding was happening between different subspecies so this place as a breeding center is ALREADY a disaster. Not all tigers are "just tigers". But reintroduction? I don't think turning a five hundred pound cat with no fear of humans loose in the woods is a particularly good idea.
Discussion 3 : 11/09/2012 at 01:52 PM
Monks shouldnt be in the tiger business .These tigers should given a sanctuary as should elephants and their ownership should be illegal .Every province could have a tiger or elephant sanctuary .I believe there are shady dealings going on this supposed temple for sure .
Discussion 4 : 11/09/2012 at 01:39 PM
Do the math, it does not add up Temple takes in 84 million but spends 146 million to feed the tigers. I suspect it does not cost Baht 4000 a day to feed each tiger as many are cubs. The temple should be helped to breed some for release back into the wild, if there is any such place left in SEA.
Discussion 5 : 11/09/2012 at 01:23 PM
Whats that, a Thai religious center being used for business purposes? Surely not. The majestic beast of the rainforest reduced to a tourist attraction and photo op. Thats our modern commercial world and we call ourselves 'civilised'.
Discussion 6 : 11/09/2012 at 12:21 PM
This video made headlines in Europe the other day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp8tcSSOQT8&feature=plcp The news reporter said it is a temple outside BKK. I wonder whether it is the same as in above article or a hidden attraction for Asian tourists as this is often the case in Thailand. It was said that various animal welfare organizations are sounding alarm now. Beside the torture by paying tourists, the cages are small and dirty. In addition, reports of blatant malnutrition of animals. What a shame to BUDDHISM. It once shows again that religion is all about BUSINESS.
Discussion 7 : 11/09/2012 at 11:56 AM
Human greed, shame on the temple abbot. Although they do a good job at raising the tigers, but its all due to making money not because they are protecting them. They should reintroduce tigers into the wild. Have tracking devices so if tigers are outside of their normal boundary zone, officials should track and investigate if they are hunted down. This is easy to do and doesn't cost much.
Discussion 8 : 11/09/2012 at 11:38 AM
personally not interested to visit there. i will ask my farang cousin and their friends not to visit there for a double white price. lets see if they will keep that animals
Discussion 9 : 11/09/2012 at 10:02 AM
Interesting to see Thai-style Buddhism is alive and well at the tiger farm, with foreigners being charged double the Thai rate. Reason enough for us 'aliens' not to visit. And I agree - yet again the standard of reporting by lazy BP writers is appalling.
Discussion 10 : 11/09/2012 at 09:40 AM
1,328 tigers in captivity and 200 in the wild; shouldn’t it be the other way around? Of course then there would be no money to make.
Discussion 11 : 11/09/2012 at 09:34 AM
BP should check what it's writen. 400.000 bahts a day is much over, it's nonsense digit. 400,000/99 tigers, mean 4,040 Bahts per day per animals, better to eat beefsteak than chicken carcasses for the same price... For the same amount you could feed 250 people per day... The temple is mixing teaching Bouddha with business. 600 bahts is only entrance, but if you want take video, photo, and.... you have to put more and more money...That looks not so clean attitude for monks. This place is non recommended at all !!! The TIGER KINGDOM in Chiangmai is the best place, this is private business with moderate price and the animals are not agressive...
Discussion 12 : 11/09/2012 at 09:24 AM
Great one Bangkok Post, you've just taken another step down in accreditation.
Discussion 13 : 11/09/2012 at 08:39 AM
Post reporters need to learn how to use a calculator. 150 tourists a week even if all foreign at Baht 600 would only return Baht 4.68 million in a year.
Discussion 14 : 11/09/2012 at 08:13 AM
If this is not yet another money making venture, take off the compulsory entrance fee and make it by donation only, then lets see if the monks will want to keep the tigers. I have not visited the temple and certainly have no interest in doing so.
Discussion 15 : 11/09/2012 at 07:52 AM
This has been controversial in the tourism industry for years, some say the conditions are poor, here it says they're better than a zoo. Pity the reporter didn't look into the qualification of the veterinary team here. Notwithstanding the background and successful breeding program, there is something inappropriate about a temple raising tigers and making lots of money out of it. Perhaps an audit is in order. the PACC might want to look into it to be sure there's no corruption worth going after. But it's certainly one of the prime attractions in Kanchanaburi now. 600 baht sees like a capitalistic price, not something you would expect from a temple looking for donations to cover the exorbitant food bill.
Discussion 16 : 11/09/2012 at 07:13 AM
400,000 Baht per day... that makes 146 million per year. The entrance fees give them 84 million a year. 400,000 per day for 99 tigers makes 4,040 per tiger per day for food. While the numbers above are obviously nonsense, it is difficult to know whether we should take out one or two zeros. Would 404 Baht for chicken per tiger make sense? It seems still high, while 40 Baht may be too low. How can a newspaper with the reputation like Bangkok Post publish this kind of obviously wrong information? What of everything else we read in the Post can we believe then?
Discussion 17 : 11/09/2012 at 03:02 AM
Humm again somebody will receive money to give them premission for keeping the tigers ...400,000 b to feed the tiger every day ???? this is more then 12,000 US dollar per day to feed them with chicken carcasses..impossible ...they would be better feeding them with grade one steak ...give me a break here ...at the zoo they feed 5 lions for less then 150 $ per day....anyway ..somebody again found a way to make money with the animals...first the MONKS ,,who charge (again) double price for foreingner ...i want to go there a few years ago but when they told me the price to visit ..i didnt want because its not for the love of the animal they do that but for the money only ...i feel its not honest to say that they do that for the animal ....now after 20 minutes of negotiation they found an arrangement ???? i think the price for visit will go up soon to help somebody else who saw the opportunity to make a bit of money on the back of the Tigers...i hope i am wrong on this but i dont think so..time will tell

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