Thai authorities fight against the illegal tiger trade

Thai authorities are taking serious action against the illegal tiger trade by carrying out a series of raids and checks. On Monday 10^th September, authorities confiscated a tiger from a private apartment on the outskirts of Bangkok.

In another raid, two adult tigers and two tiger cubs were confiscated from a private apartment. The Thai Nature Crime Police who conducted the search found that the owners were involved in the illegal wildlife trade and the tigers were sent to a care centre run by the government.

A surprise visit was also carried out on Thailand’s famous ‘Tiger Temple’ after news that one of the tigers had died. The temple is a popular tourist destination that has been under scrutiny for some of its practises (Blog). The tiger population within the park has increased dramatically in the past 8 years from 44 to 100. This has raised concern about the management of the tigers within the park.

Another recent seizure of captive tigers came from the roof of an apartment building near Bangkok where six illegally raised tigers were being kept in a caged compound. The owner of the tigers has been charged with the illegal possession of protected wild animals as he only had the authorisation to raise two tigers. Authorities also found that the apartment was being used as a transit space for the illegal trade of tiger products.

TigerTime is glad to see the clamp down on illegal traders in Thailand and hope serious action continue to stop the trade. These recent stories show the tip of the iceberg in Thailand as the country has a large captive tiger population.

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Written by: Chantelle M Henderson
Sources: FREELAND and Scotsman
Photo Source: FREELAND