Inspectors find all is well at tiger temple
PIYARACH CHONGCHAROEN
Wildlife officials have found no evidence of trade in tigers at Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua in Kanchanaburi, which has been allowed to take care of the rare species even though possession is illegal.
The temple, which is famous with tourists for its tiger “zoo”, is under the spotlight again after complaints were made to the Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
However, officials who inspected the temple yesterday found nothing unusual in arrangements for caring for the tigers, though they did confiscate a few other species they found there.
“The number of tiger cubs has increased recently,” said Cherdchai Jariyapanya, chief of the DNP’s Protected Area Regional Office 3, said. In total, there are 143 tigers. There were 97 at the previous inspection.
All of them belong to the nation, Mr Cherdchai said.