Tiger Temple Update - November 2010
(The post below has been taken directly from Sybelle Foxcroft's post in Notes on cee4life you can read the full post on the Facebook page.)
Hi All
Firstly, I'd just like to thank CNN for the exposure of the Tiger Temple to the US and any one else around the world who was watching. Brilliant, and I thank this huge network for having the guts to bring this to a wide public audience.
At the same time that the CNN broadcast of the Tiger Temple abuse and Tony the Truckstop tiger went to air, something very disturbing unfolded inside the tiger temple.
To bring you up to date, the Tiger Temple is removing all foreign staff from hands on contact with the tigers. That means the care and handling of these tigers has taken a massive step backwards.
Although, when the foreign volunteers were hands on with the tigers, they were still only able to stop some of the abuses, particularly the physical abuse. Now there is no one to stop it. The Temple just employed another 5 thai staff workers to work directly with the tigers. These Thai workers are off the street and have had no animal experience in their lives, much like all of the staff.
So when they are employed in the temple, they are trained by 2 very nasty pieces of men who's only method of controlling a tiger is via a smash in the head, karate punches, kidney kicking, and other vicious actions. These have all been caught on film, and are up on YouTube along with other abuses, for your viewing pleasure........ :(
So the information for the world is up on the internet, its still just a matter of getting this out to the public.
But on the very night that the CNN exposure aired, in Thailand at the Tiger Temple, a Hollywood film crew entered the Tiger Temple. The long suffering Hernfa (tiger with his head yanked up and down all day everyday for tourist photos) Saifa (one of the last, ailing and in desperate need of veterinary aid, remaining original tigers) the young adults Mek & Payak (my Harnfa's sons) and the younger Sangton (female), were all hauled out of their cages to participate in the filming of the Scorpian King 3.......
I am in absolute shock that Hollywood used the Tiger Temple tigers... this is an absolute disaster. Hollywood would have paid the Temple quite a bit of money for this. Unbelievable....
Now if 1 Hollywood production company chose to use these horribly abused tigers, then there could be 2, then 3 etc etc....
The trucks drove in and set up massive flood lights and the tigers were pushed and prodded to 'act'. The problem is that they were not acting, the sight of the thick sticks that they are beaten with ensured that they would not misbehave too much. However, Hernfa (who is becoming defiant in his older years) objected to this, and was hit repeatedly, chastised, and the bloody tiger balm was all over him.
The next morning the tigers were counted and checked just in case any had disappeared, none had.
Now I know that these Hollywood people did not know about the abuse these creatures have endured. I know to us that know about it, it would seem like they would have to be living with their heads in the sand to have not heard about it, but still alot of people do not know.
So the Scorpian King 3, which is apparentently going straight to DVD, used some of the temple tigers. They paid for them, and they have inadvertantly contributed to the ongoing abuse of these creatures.
Now about the tigers.....
Sangtewan is not pregnant. They have been trying hard to get her pregnant again, however this time I think her body has given up. Her beaten and broken body is a mess. If she does not recieve any veterinary aid she will suffer and she will die.
Fakram - has given up on everything. He is isolated from the other tigers and is situated at a lonely end of tiger island. The reason for this, I can only think, is because he is not able to be handled at all and challenges everyone, he is a killer. He always was a killer, however in 2007 - mid 2009 he was a killer that still had a personality, now he has no personality, just a killer. It seems they are starving him to death as he is losing a massive amount of weight. The other tigers are being fed, however Fakram is rarely seen with any food.
It is not that the Temple doesnt have the money, it is just that Fakram has no use to them, he is forgotten. One of the senior TSW was overheard saying 'Fakram will be gone soon and we use the cage for other tiger'.
WTF are they up to.......
There are 84 tigers inside tiger island now, there are approximately 34 cages under tiger island. 4 cages cannot be used, and Mam Mam the Moon bear is in another cage.Now do the maths. 29 cages for 84 tigers, now grassed area, just cement and rusted bars.
Cee4life is trying very hard to keep an eye on all of the ailing tigers. I will put a list up of all of the ailing tigers soon, and some photographs.
Weya - is doomed. Dr Somchai refuses to provide the correct medication to end his unbearable haematoma.... this is tragic, angering.
Hernfa - his eyes are shaking and he is unable to focus. This is the same for 15 of the tigers. This has been brought to the attention of the Dr, but nothing is done. These ailments have now been going on for 5 months.... they will go on forever if this cant be stopped.
Nanfa - the tiger Nanfa has begun to just stop moving. Once Nan would walk around the cage, but now wont move most days. Something terrible has happened to Nan, I am trying to find out.
Rowie - the young male Rowie has also got serious eye problems, is unable to focus directly on anything.
Saidow - the young cub Saidow is one of many who is born cross eyed, however numerous tigers within the temple are suffering eye infections, disabilities of some kind or another.
These eye problems are multiplying. It is not just the older tigers, it is the young ones too. This could be a symptom of a number of things. In the older ones, the sudden shaking eyes could be neurological, a stroke maybe, maybe a head injury, a virus - it will be unknown until professional veterinary aid is given.
The young cubs being born with cross eyes - probably from inbreeding, also a symptom of a parent who has been drugged alot during pregnancy.
Whatever the case, they are still in dire need and........go to the cee4life to read more. It is important.
For even more on the Tiger Temple please read:
And can I once again renew my appeal to the zoos of the world to put up a small sign on their Tiger enclosures advising tourists not to visit the Tiger Temple when they visit Thailand? Please. It is your countrymen which keep this place going.
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