Temple's tigers can stay, for now
24 Apr 2015
Wildlife officials began a headcount Friday of nearly 150 tigers kept by monks at a temple which has become the centre of a dispute over the welfare of the animals.
Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua in Kanchanaburi province -- commonly known as the "Tiger Temple" -- has long proved a hit among tourists who flock there to visit the monks and be photographed next to their huge feline pets.
But the authorities say the temple has been keeping the animals without the proper paperwork and have vowed to seize them, sparking standoffs in recent weeks between officials and angry monks blocking their way.
Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation said earlier this week it planned to take the animals away on Friday.
But when officials arrived at the temple Friday morning they contented themselves with counting the tigers, most of whom are microchipped, to ascertain how many there are in the sanctuary.
"We have come to check and scan the tigers to see whether the numbers match what we have or not," DNP official Somsak Poopet told AFP, adding his department said they had been told there should be 147 tigers at the temple.
Asked whether the department would consider seizing the animals he replied: "We have that idea, but in our actions so far it has not reached that process yet."
Unlike previous visits, the monks did not object to officials entering the sanctuary, an AFP photographer on the scene said.
The tigers were led out in groups of four and tied to a tree to allow officials to scan their microchips.
The headcount was sparked by allegations from a temple vet earlier this week who complained to police that three tigers had recently disappeared from the sanctuary, sparking fears they may have been sold on.
Local animal-rights groups have accused the temple of failing to properly look after the tigers.
In February, wildlife officials said they conducted a raid and discovered dozens of hornbills, jackals and Asian bears that were being kept at the sanctuary without the correct permits.
"I think a lot of the people here are very motivated, I think they really love the animals, but they're doing it absolutely the wrong way," Edwin Wiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, which has campaigned to have the tigers removed, told AFP.
"Wildlife management, whether that's in the wild or captivity, comes with a lot of knowledge, a lot of rules, a lot of dos and don'ts. And walking around with adult tigers like this, that could snap their mood at any time, is an accident waiting to happen," he added.
Temple authorities were unavailable for comment Friday. But they insist they are a genuine conservation project and have previously denied allegations that they have failed to look after the animals or illegally traffic in them.
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DNP, temple achieve an agreement on tigers
THE NATION
April 25, 2015
After what began as a big showdown, the Tiger Temple in Kancha-naburi and wildlife officials finally found middle ground yesterday by agreeing that the 146 tigers would be kept in the temple compound but would be seen as state assets.
Each tiger will be registered and electronically tagged.
However, the agreement between Wat Pa Luang Ta Maha Bua and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) does not include the Asian white-chested bear and hornbills - both endangered and protected species. The department will still proceed with taking action over the charge of possessing protected species against the temple.
In a joint statement yesterday, the temple and its foundation are required to ensure there is no cross-breeding of Bengal tigers as per DNP regulations. The two sides have also agreed that the search for three missing tigers will continue.
An agreement has also been made on three conditions: The offspring of all tigers will be registered and considered state assets; they can't be exploited for commercial purposes; and registration and micro-chipping of all tigers will be made mandatory.
Deputy DNP director-general Adisorn Nuchdamrong said the department did not mean to snatch away the tigers as it did a few weeks ago. "We just wanted to do the right thing according to law," he said, adding that the temple should apply for a licence for operating a zoo and should hire adequate staff to provide care for the tigers. He said it should also control the tiger population.
DNP officials and temple staff did a headcount of the tigers yesterday, with the animals divided in groups of four and tied to a tree to allow officials to scan their microchips.
Provincial Governor Wanchai O-sukhonthip said the bears and the hornbills would not be moved away from the temple, as part of the agreement, but did not refer to DNP's plan to proceed with action in this regard.
General Niphat Thonglek, an adviser to the National Legislative Assembly on wildlife and environment protection, who mediated talks between the two sides, said he welcomed the development.
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