Tiger exhibits asking their visitors to avoid the Tiger Temple if they visited Thailand. Please give serious consideration to this request. You really can make a difference by hitting this place where it hurts, in the deep pockets of corruption. The Tiger Temple, Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, Phuket Zoo and others are purely exploitative. There are good zoos in Thailand but these are not amongst them.
Cubs are routinely pulled for hand rearing so that they can be handled with a degree of safety and more fully exploited when older. Whereas there is a place for 'ambassador' animals in zoos I don't believe that large cats are amongst them. Such use sends out the wrong message to places like the Tiger Temple and other less informed collections around the world.
Below is the latest news on the Temple from Sybelle:
Subject: News Unfolding - Update (keep updated at Behind the Cloak of Buddha)
Hello All,
I apologise for the 2 very recent updates I have sent you all, but the information I am getting is coming at a fast unexpected pace. So I ask you all to bare with me.
As you know, on yesterdays update I told you I am communicating directly with the temple now, in regard to trying to get some of the tigers out of there and rehome them.
I did not expect the immediate response that I have recieved.
The news is not good.
Although the Temple is quite willing to talk with me, the monster that the Temple has and continues to grow into is very very disturbing, to say the least.
The facts that have come out of my conversations with the Temple are as follows:
The Tiger Temple has begun 2 additional projects. These are called
* Tiger Paradise
* Tiger World
Tiger Paradise
Is a 500 acre piece of land that they are now building for more tigers. The Temple states that the Tiger Paradise Concept
Tigers are roaming free in natural protected habitat
Natural landscape design
Waterfall and tiny river
Hind spot for investigation
Research and Education
Rehabilitation
Tiger Behaviour
Ecological Science
(Havent we heard that before..)
I want to reinforce in all of you, that the current tigers at the Tiger Temple are living in squalid conditions, their diet and care is horribly lacking (see photographs) and this new project is having money poured into it, when the current Tiger Island is unfinished after 7 years of public donations and the ongoing vicious care and handling of these creatures.
The promises that the Temple has made to the public repeatedly over the years, in regard to all the donation going to benefit the tigers, is a lie, a continuing lie.
As the Temple has now, and for a while, been working on the new Tiger Paradise, funds for the present tigers is directed to these other now current projects. This is ongoing fraud.
Tiger World
Is another project where more tigers are going to be kept in squalid conditions. Again stating the same 'tiger roaming free' 'conservation' etc.
Public donated money is being poured into these two new ventures, I was positive before that the public had no idea there money wasnt getting to the tigers, but I am absolutely certain the public has no idea about this fraud.
This is a growing monster.
TIGER CONSERVATION or something more sinister.
As much as I love the tigers trapped inside the Temple, the fact of the matter is that these tigers are not pure bred Indochinese, Malayan or Bengal tigers.
They are cross bred, hybrid or inbred.
Because of this they hold no value to conservation, but what do they hold value for?.
A recent report released by WWF and TRAFFIC, state that Chinese business owners who would profit from the tiger trade are increasing pressure on the Chinese government to overturn its successful 1993 ban. If this ban is lifted it will be a death sentence to all tiger sub species.
Here is the link to the report prepared by TRAFFIC SE Asia and WWF http://www.facebook.com/l/4fe60;www.worldwildlife.org/what/globalmarkets/wildlifetrade/chinatigertrade/WWFBinaryitem5195.pdf
It is well known that the tiger trade in thailand is directly linked to China.
If this ban is lifted, the supply and demand will cause the extinction of all tiger sub species.
WHAT HAS THIS GOT TO DO WITH THE TIGER TEMPLE?
The Tiger Temple is not about conservation of tigers, it is not about the wellbeing of tigers, nor is it of any use to pure bred breeding of tigers or protecting the tigers in the wild. Not one of the Temples programs assists with protecting wild tiger populations in Thailand. Why is that? Because they do not want to protect the wild tigers, because they have no interest in wild tigers, and because it does not benefit them to protect wild tiger populations for their business purposes.
The Tiger Temple is a business. And what do business people strive for - increased finances, succeeding financially.
The public have waited for the Tiger Temple to do what they said it was going to do, and that was to provide a wonderful home for these tigers inside the Temple.
The reality is that they are expanding to procure and breed as many tigers as possible in the Temple, Tiger Paradise and Tiger World so if the ban is lifted on the tiger trade, they will have a financial windfall.
WHO IS MAKING THIS POSSIBLE
The public, the tourists that go there, with their continued donations that will never get to the tigers, and the continued tourism.
People were wondering how and why the Temple suddenly started increasing the number of tigers inside the temple. Up until Jan 2008 there were 18 tigers. The breeding machine females Sangtewan and Sairung pushed the numbers up, then more female tigers gave birth, until the number now stands at 65 and rising.
After going in there and counting every tiger and every cage, and knowing that there were not enough cages for the tigers, even if you put a couple or three in together, the proposition to buy the tigers off the temple seemed to force the exposure of their plan.
Through the information Dr Somchai has given me, there is no doubt that a concerted effort is needed from organisations and people who claim to be 'Saving the Tiger', I ask these places to act now and stop this abomination.
Forget your political standings, forget the criterias you work in, forget more reporting, you know whats going on, so act on this monstrosity that is occurring in front of our eyes.
We people, the public must continue the fight to save the tigers, all tigers in the wild and in captivite abuse wildlife trading places like the Temple.
This has become much bigger than anything I ever thought the Temple was capable of. This is now a gigantic monster ready to chew up and spit out wonderful tigers, for greed, for money, always has been, always will be.
There will be no saving these tigers, if we do not continue to be a voice for them.
The future, for future hybrid litters in the temple is locked in Tiger Island, Tiger Paradise and Tiger World.
This is not only about the rights of these tigers anymore, this is now about our rights as human beings. Our rights that we, the majority of people in this world, do not want the abuse of our beloved creatures, we do not want the wildlife trade, we do not want the stupidity of select people promoting the myths of tiger penis soup and other heinous medicine lies, and we do not want the extinction of one of the most iconic and beloved creatures on our earth. This is OUR rights now being ignored, abused and laughed at.
We cannot stand quietly and let it happen.
I have a website that is going up at the end of May. It is under CEE-4-Life, it will enable our voice and action to occur.
When you consistently fight and try to save species and find you are barely making any difference, and feel like no one is doing anything, sometimes it just comes down to the fact that you know you can rely on yourself, and you will act.
I am dedicated to trying to save all tiger sub species in the wild, to expose the corrupt places around our earth, and will fight with every bit of arsenal I have to save our tigers.
I am asking you all to never give up on them, this is monster and we need to fight it.
Sybelle xo
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* Tiger Paradise
ReplyDelete* Tiger World
Are both lies!!!
They have built the small tiger island
for 4 years and it is ready to use, but they dont. Its just a way to get more funds..
ex volunteer