There are a lot more people who know about the cruelty and neglect that animals suffer in zoos and circuses. It is becoming more wildly understood that animals are not meant to live in captivity.
However, there are still many people who pay money to exploit animals for a selfie or a few minutes of entertainment–a phenomenon which was featured in the Netflix show, Tiger King.
Unfortunately, Joe Exotic’s facility and his treatment of captive tigers are not unique. There are many places around the world that breed tigers for tourist attractions
The Tiger Temple was a popular destination in Thailand, where tourists could take pictures of tigers and do various activities with them. When the animals were not being forced to interact with people under the hot sun for hours, they were stuck in cages without enough room to roam around.
There were any allegations of abuse and mistreatment of these tigers, as well as rumors of the Temple monks drugging the animals. In 2016 after being implicated in illegal trade, the temple was raided and the tigers were taken into government custody.
Officials also found forty dead cubs in a freezer, 20 dead cubs in jars of formaldehyde, tiger pelts, and tiger amulets.
While many hoped that this raid signified the beginning of an effort to crackdown on the captive tiger industry, more tiger parks have opened since the raid. The baby tigers at these attractions are taken from their mothers and chained up to entertain tourists.
They are forced to do routines, punished for mistakes, and confined to tiny cages once they get too big to interact with visitors. Like most animals kept in captivity, these animals suffer from zoochosis, which includes self-mutilation, vomiting, excessive grooming, and other anxious behaviors.
Source: Special Investigation: Famous Tiger Temple Accused of Supplying Black Market | National Geographic
Unfortunately, more than half of the tigers that the government seized from the Tiger Temple have already died due to inbreeding and illness.
Sign this petition to demand that the Thai government ban tiger captivity and ensure all captive tigers are sent to real sanctuaries where they will receive the proper care that they deserve.
This article was first published by OneGreenPlanet on 26 June 2020. Lead Image Source : When Will Thailand Ban the Cruel Captive Tiger Industry? More Than 2,000 Tigers Suffer There Daily.
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