This article pretty much sums it up. Still want to go there and financially support animal cruelty..?

Tiger Temple- Illegal Wildlife Trafficking, Animal Cruelty and Tourist
Safety Risks

http://www.careforthewild.com/news.asp?detail=true&I_ID=578&section=Latest+News

A report released today by British conservation group Care for the Wild
International (CWI) reveals disturbing
evidence of animal abuse and illegal tiger trafficking at one of Thailand's
premier tourist destinations.


The report follows a two year investigation into the conduct of staff at
Thailand's Tiger Temple in
Kanchanaburi. Up to 300 international tourists visit this facility each day,
but boosted by the worldwide
broadcast of a documentary on Animal Planet, numbers reach almost 900 on
busy days.


CWI's Chief Executive Dr Barbara Maas says, "The Temple's popularity is
based around claims that its tigers
were rescued from poachers and move freely and peacefully amongst the
temple's monks, who are actively
engaged in conservation work. But this utopian façade hides a sinister
reality of unbridled violence and illegal
trafficking of tigers between Thailand and Laos."


Approximately 15 tigers live at Temple at any one time. Poor housing,
husbandry and cruel handling are
systemic throughout the facility. Far from being allowed to roam free,
tigers are confined for 20 hours a day
away from public view in small, barren concrete cages, measuring 31.5 m2 to
37.3 m2. This falls short of the
published minimum of 500m2 for a pair or a mother and her cubs. Staff also
routinely beat adult tigers and
cubs with poles and metal rods.


As a result, the tigers suffer a catalogue of behavioural and physical
problems, including lameness, skeletal
deformities and stereotypic behaviour, such as pacing and self-mutilation.
These complaints are further
exacerbated by malnutrition and poor veterinary care.


CWI's Southeast Asia Director, Guna Subramaniam says, "Interacting closely
with live tigers is the chief
attraction that draws tourists to the Temple. Each day between 1pm and 4pm
some ten tigers are chained up
in the Temple's 'Tiger Canyon', where paying visitors, including young
children, can touch, sit or lie on the
animals' front or back. For a further fee they can also have their
photograph taken. Staff prop up the tigers
with heavy concrete bowls to oblige them to adopt and maintain appealing
poses. Tigers are also pulled into
position by their tail and sometimes punched, kicked or beaten to make them
compliant. Temple staff tower
over the animals and control them by squirting urine into their faces from a
bottle. In the wild, tigers use urine
as a territorial or aggressive signal. Sprayed by staff at close quarters is
extremely aggressive."


A Thai wildlife trader claims to have sold the Temple its first tigers. CWI
also obtained evidence that, rather
than rescue orphaned tiger cubs, the Temple operates as an illegal breeding
facility and is involved in the
clandestine exchange of tigers with the owner of a tiger farm in Laos. Tiger
Temple sources told CWI that a
minimum of seven tigers listed in the Temple's 2005 and 2007 brochures
disappeared, while at least five
individuals appeared without explanation. "It is mostly older animals that
were sent to Laos in exchange for
young cubs," says Dr Maas. "No one knows what happened to them there. These
actions contravene both
local and international laws under CITES (Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species).


"Some of the new tigers were given the same names as animals who had been
exported to Laos to obscure
the fact that tigers are being moved in and out, and to perpetuate the
impression that the Temple provides
rescued tigers with life-long care."


The Temple claims to breed tigers for conservation. It does not have a
breeding license, but at least ten cubs
were born there. With no information about the tigers' subspecies, most if
not all offspring are likely to be
hybrids. For this reason alone the Temple's tigers are unsuitable for
inclusion in a recognised conservation
breeding programmes. Another concern is that the release of tigers that are
used to human proximity is
dangerous and potentially fatal for humans, livestock and the tigers, and so
is almost never viable.


CWI's report also raises concerns about visitor safety. There are numerous
well-documented and even fatal
attacks on humans by 'trained' and apparently mild-mannered captive wild
cats, including during photo
sessions. However, Temple staff fail to prevent direct contact even when the
tigers are aggressive.


When asked why tourists don't get bitten, the Abbot replied: "They want to
bite. One day they will bite." The
Temple explicitly renounces any responsibility for injuries and asks
visitors to sign a disclaimer at the
entrance.


"There is no doubt that the tourists who visit the Tiger Temple from
Britain, Europe and the US do so
because they are fond of tigers," says Dr Maas. "But unlike these visitors
who part with their cash under the
misconception that it will benefit the Temple's animals and help protect
wild tigers, the tigers can't leave.


"CWI is alarmed about the animal welfare problems, false conservation
claims, furtive cross-border
movements of tigers, and acute risks to visitor safety at the Kanchanaburi
Tiger Temple, which is nothing but
a sordid theme park that betrays one of the most imperilled species on
earth."


"CWI met with the Temple's Abbot to discuss these problems and work towards
a solution. However, the
Abbot was reluctant to negotiate and showed no interest in reform," said
CWI's Guna Subramaniam.


CWI recommends that Thailand's Department of National Parks confiscates the
Temple's illegally held tigers
and transfers them to a sanctuary facility, where the animals can be
accommodated and cared for
appropriately. CWI has identified a suitable facility in Thailand and is
offering its full support for this
operation.


Download report here:

http://www.careforthewild.com/projects.asp?detail=true&I_ID=580&mypage=Reports


Video footage on YouTube:
Tiger Temple/ Animal Cruelty -1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qENTMsbJ3jw

Tiger Temple/ Animal Cruelty, Moving with Force- 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41izUzo25u4

Tiger Temple/ Aggressive Tigers - 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpLFmE9LReA

Tiger Temple/ Injured Tiger- 4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEZhHo-ESXE

Tiger Temple/ Restrained for Photo-taking- 5
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G0GhDwMrFw

Tiger Temple/ Visitor Safety Risks- 6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCg0Lpwbt3w

Tiger Temple/ Enclosures- 7http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTxOzbL7uqs

Calling all ex-volunteers - we have all seen the travel books which advertise the Tiger Temple as an attraction to visit.
Lets all mail the publishers now let them know that people say NO to this cruel place.
Send your email TODAY - We can make a difference if we try.

http://www.cbc.ca/thecurrent/2008/200807/20080709.html
play the last article at the bottom of the page

Tiger Temple rebute the claims in the report:
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/worldhotnews/read.php?newsid=30076226

TT staff admitting that the cubs come from Laos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI3aQp5bZ1A
"..the mother is not here, he's an EXCHANGE tiger from Laos..."

somebody must be lying..

WSPA states their support of CWI's report:
http://www.wspa-international.org/whoarewe/wspaasia/tiger_temple_thailand.aspx

News article in Malaysia:
http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2008/7/15/lifefocus/1535960&sec=lifefocus

Here is some silly news:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1041383/Pictured-Brave-tourists-close-personal-tigers.html

please add your comments, to show that this article represents a fictional fairy tale, that disguises the criminal activity, abuse and outright commercial exploitation of animals...

So glad someone posted the update about the Tiger Temple. I have so many friends who have been there and posed for photos with these poor tigers and don't realise what's actually going on. Good work guys :)
x

Would anyone like to translate this text into their own language?

The Tiger Temple: QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Care for the Wild International (CWI) is a wildlife conservation and animal welfare organisation with offices and field projects in Asia, Africa, Oceania and Europe.
CWI is a member of the International Tiger Coalition (ITC). The ITC is an alliance of 39 organisations representing some of the world’s foremost tiger scientists, conservation groups, animal welfare advocates, traditional Chinese medicine specialists and zoos, united under the common aim of ending tiger trade and securing a future for wild tigers.
CWI received many complaints about the Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi from visitors and volunteers who have worked there, more in fact than for any other tourist attraction using wildlife in Thailand. Complaints sent to other conservation and welfare organisations were also forwarded to CWI. Visitors familiar with wildlife rescue centers and conservation issues were unhappy with the tigers being abused for photo-taking sessions. Some visitors also suspect the Temple's claims on conservation to be fraudulent.
Following this, CWI sent a tiger expert to record the treatment and stresses imposed on the tigers during the daily photo-taking with tourists. CWI consulted with other big cat experts and wildlife vets who confirmed the tigers were stressed and abused during the photo-taking sessions. Consequentially, CWI made attempts at meeting with the abbot of the Temple, Pra Acharn Phusit (Chan) Khantitharo to offer assistance in improving the husbandry and welfare standards, and assist with the adoption of a genuine conservation program. Despite our humble approach however, and offer of assistance, the abbot showed no interest in reform.
CWI therefore undertook a two-year investigation to confirm whether allegations of abuse and mistreatment of tigers were true.
CWI’s report is also the result of information collected over a three year period.

CWI'S OBJECTIVES
What does CWI hope to achieve with the release of its report?
- CWI is calling for the immediate cessation of all illegal tiger trade, exchange and transfer activities, and requests the Thai Department of National Parks (DNP) to conduct a full investigation on the Temple.
- CWI is urging the DNP to confiscate the Temple's illegally held tigers and transfer them to a sanctuary facility, where the animals can be accommodated and cared for appropriately.
- CWI is urging the DNP to halt to all tiger breeding activities with immediate effect.
- CWI is calling for all photo-taking and physical contact between tigers and visitors to be stopped immediately.

CWI’S INVESTIGATION
CWI is offering full cooperation and assistance to the Thai authorities for the above actions.
- The Temple has been actively involved in illegally trading and exchanging of tigers across international borders in Lao PDR.
- Animal welfare problems at the Temple are severe and include poor accommodation, lack of appropriate environments, veterinary problems and deliberate physical abuse of the tigers to make them compliant.
- Despite its claims, the Temple makes no discernable contribution to tiger conservation nor will they ever be able to, due to the unknown species of their tigers.
- Visitors' safety is compromised with close proximity with the tigers.

RESCUE CENTRE OR NOT?
Is the Tiger Temple a rescue centre?
The Temple is not registered with the Thai government, and so has no permits to legally keep or breed tigers in captivity. The Department of National Parks (DNP) seized 7 tigers and almost 300 other animals seven years ago. However, since there were no government facilities to relocate the confiscated animals, the Temple was allowed to care for the animals on condition that neither breeding nor trade was to occur.
The Temple claims the first eight tigers to arrive were cubs rescued from poachers. However, CWI found that their first tigers were in fact bought through a wildlife trader. Since then, the Temple has been illegally breeding the tigers and trafficking them across Laos.

ILLEGAL TRADE
What evidence of illegal trade does CWI have?
CWI obtained evidence that, rather than rescue orphaned tiger cubs, the Temple operates as an illegal breeding facility and is involved in the clandestine exchange of tigers with the owner of a tiger farm in Laos. CWI uncovered that a minimum of seven tigers disappeared, while at least five individuals appeared without explanation, between 2005 and 2007. CWI also obtained a tiger exchange agreement, which was signed by the Temple's abbot, the foundation's manager and the owner of a tiger farm in Laos.
Some of the new tigers were given the same names as animals that had been exported to Laos to obscure the fact that tigers are being moved in and out, and to perpetuate the myth that the Temple provides rescued tigers with life-long care.
CWI also made contact with a wildlife trader who claims the Temple's first tiger cubs were bought through him. Contact was also made with other wildlife traders who confirmed the original tiger cubs were in fact bought, not rescued.
How does the 'tiger exchange agreement' obtained by CWI show illegal trade?
Exporting or importing tigers across international boundaries, including those between Thailand and Laos is illegal under CITES (Convention for the International Trade in Endangered Species), unless appropriate permits have been issued. CITES requires that such permits are only issued for non-commercial exchanges between recognised scientific institutions for conservation purposes.
No such permits have been issued to export tigers from the Temple - nor should there be, since the Temple is not registered with the Thai authorities as an appropriate institution. Under the Thai Wild Animals Reservation and Protection Act 1992, apart from a general prohibition of trade, it is illegal to possess or breed tigers without being registered with the government. The Act states that breeding, possession and trading of wild animals without such registration is an offence punishable by imprisonment not exceeding three years or fines not exceeding thirty thousand Baht (approx US $1,000), or both.
What is wrong with the farming of tigers?
Tiger farms exist for the sole purpose of breeding tigers to cater to the demand for traditional Chinese medicines, exotic meats and other commercial exploits of tiger parts. Tiger farms do not contribute to tiger conservation nor do they help to offset pressure on wild tiger populations from poaching, but instead they expand the economy on trading tiger parts.
The tigers exchanged between the Laos tiger farm and the Temple could end up in traditional medicine or as exotic meat in China or elsewhere, contrary to the Temple's claims that they are helping with tiger conservation and providing livelong care for the animals.
Where is the tiger farm in Laos?
Due to ongoing investigations, CWI cannot reveal this information

BREEDING TIGERS AND CONSERVATION
Is the Tiger Temple breeding tigers for conservation and reintroduction into the wild?
The manner in which the Temple conducts its activities has clearly shown that they have no interest in welfare or conservation science, only to function as a tourist attraction.
There is no information about the genetic background of any of the tigers - not even as to which tiger sub-species they belong to. Neither have the animals had their DNA tested. All these animals are likely to be hybrids, which disqualifies them from participating in any conservation programme. The captive breeding of tigers at the Temple serves no conservation purpose and only adds to the financial costs for keeping more tigers. There are already many captive tigers all over the world in zoos and other places. Tigers breed easily in captivity and it is estimated there are between 15,000 to 20,000 tigers in captivity around the world, compared to possibly fewer than 3,500 tigers in the wild scattered across 14 range states in increasingly isolated enclaves. There is still a chance for protecting and sustaining tiger populations in the wild. And that's what we should focus on-not tigers in captivity.
The protection of wild habitats and scientific surveys and studies on habitat suitability is of paramount importance in any wildlife reintroduction project. The Temple has not conducted any research into wild habitats for tigers, nor have they presented anything of conservation value.
Well-documented research and studies around the world have already shown that it is impractical to reintroduce captive-bred tigers into the wild, predominantly due to their specific behavioural repertoire. There is also consensus amongst conservationists that releasing captive-bred tigers is not a viable option and, in the case of animals that are used to human proximity, can be fatal to tigers, livestock and humans. Releasing captive-born animals into the wild can also weaken the existing wild populations due to outbreeding. This is where genes that are advantageous to the survival of the species are deleted from the DNA and this causes the weakening of the wild populations. Outbreeding can be as harmful to a wild population as inbreeding.
Captive populations may not have immunity to diseases that the wild population carries and their survival skills will be less developed. The survival rate for released tigers will be extremely low. The money put into raising and training tigers for reintroduction programs, which are already known to be impractical, will be better spent on protecting the already existing wild populations. Breeding in captivity is also expensive, inefficient, and mostly fails to successfully re-establish wild populations, particularly for carnivores. Furthermore, without effective protection of suitable wild habitat, captive breeding for conservation is a dead end.
Good rescue centers and sanctuaries for wildlife will also have a policy and practices in place to prevent breeding of animals in their care, unless there is a real chance of reintroducing them back to the wild. It is possible to keep tigers from breeding by neutering males or spaying females, or keeping males and females separate. The Temple has continuously bred tigers because cubs are a major tourist attraction. The abbot himself has said that he breeds the tigers because tourists like to see tiger cubs.

ANIMAL CRUELTY
Are the tigers at the Tiger Temple treated well?
Tourists and ex-volunteers have reported witnessing tigers being abused, such as being punched or hit in the head with rods if they refused to comply. Despite the close proximity of tourists, instances of forceful nose-twisting, pulling or dragging by the tail, kicking and kneeing are regularly seen.
Less obviously cruel, but equally distressing to the tigers, is the routine use of tiger urine sprayed in the tigers' faces. Urine sprayed in the face is likely to be perceived by a tiger as a highly aggressive display from a hyper-dominant animal, and so will induce a fear-based submissive response and stress.
CWI also found that the handlers, who use various abusive practices, achieve the tigers' docility through ruthlessly enforced dominance. To establish and maintain dominance over the tigers so that the animals can be controlled, temple staff regularly subjected the animals to different forms of violence and abuse. These included beating with wooden poles and squeezing the tiger's testicles.
A Canadian radio journalist recorded an interview with a tiger trainer who was distraught from witnessing staff beating up a tiger. This was independent from the CWI investigation.
Are the video footage and images of animal abuse exaggerated?
While video and photo evidence only portray examples of abuse, CWI investigators and volunteers at the temple have reported that the beatings and abuse were frequent and increased over the years. Information collected over three years has showed that the temple provided inadequate shelter and veterinary care for the animals, physically abused tigers in their care and put tourists at risk during photo sessions with the tigers.
Do the tigers roam free in the Tiger Temple?
None of the tigers roam free. Most of the tigers are confined to enclosures 3 by 8 meters, which are essentially simple concrete and steel boxes. While the new 'Tiger Falls' enclosure may look better than the cage enclosures, it is only 80 - 100m2 - far less than recommended international standards (minimum of 500m² for two tigers) of World Association of Zoo and Aquaria (WAZA).
This creates psychological stress for a species that has a large territorial range in the wild.
Each day selected tigers are brought out for a few hours in the afternoon for non-stop photography sessions with hundreds of tourists. The tigers are tied or chained during the photo-taking. Having hundreds of tourists continually touching and taking photos with the tigers is stressful for the animals. Several ex-volunteers and tourists have reported that the tigers were hit with rods or sprayed with tigers' urine in the face if they 'misbehaved'.

BUDDHISM AND THE TIGER TEMPLE'S PHILOSOPHY
Do the monk's have the tigers best interest at heart?
If the Temple had an orphanage instead, but it was later found that the children were abused and traded for human trafficking, it will become a serious legal and human rights issue. Similarly, illegal wildlife trade is an organised crime and is detrimental to tiger conservation. Frequent abuse of tigers at the Temple is certainly not in the best interest of the animals regardless of whether the staff there state that they have their animal's interests at heart.
Is it insulting to Buddhism to criticise the monk's work with the tigers?
As a wildlife conservation and animal welfare organisation, CWI's concerns are the cruelty inflicted on the animals and the false conservation claims made by the Temple. CWI has no comments about Buddhism or the monks at the Temple.
CWI supports genuine efforts in wildlife conservation and rescue work. In this regard, in relation to Buddhism, CWI is already assisting a partner organisation in Thailand to help Buddhist Temples that have had wild animals surrendered at their place. CWI also works with the Office of His Excellency the Dalai Lama to reduce illegal wildlife trade in the Himalayan ranges.

VISITOR SAFETY
Why do the tigers at the Temple appear docile?
Tigers in the wild are generally lethargic in the afternoon. The Temple’s tigers also appear tame and seem to trust the monks. However, the Temple tiger's apparent docility is achieved through ruthless dominance enforced by the handlers. To establish and maintain this dominance, Temple staff regularly subject the animals to different forms of violence and abuse. These include beating with wooden poles, squeezing the tiger's testicles, forceful nose-twisting, pulling or dragging by the tail, kicking and kneeing.
Why are photo sessions and close contact with the tigers a safety risk for tourists?
There are countless, well-documented and sometimes fatal, attacks on humans by 'trained' and apparently mild-mannered captive wild cats from around the world. These include attacks during photography sessions.
CWI repeatedly witnessed aggressive behaviour towards visitors, staff and volunteers at the Temple. On at least two separate occasions, visitors and volunteers were injured from attacks by a tiger. The resulting injuries required medical treatment at a hospital.
At the Temple each year thousands of visitors, some very young children, are actively encouraged to make close physical contact with the tigers. Tourists place their arm around tigers' head or neck; children are placed on their backs, stomachs or by their sides to name but a few. Staff do not prevent direct contact with the tigers when they are behaving aggressively. Staff are also ill-equipped and unprepared to deal with potential emergency situations.
The Temple's publicity material makes no reference to the dangers of exposing tigers and humans to close proximity or of any recorded attacks. However, the Temple explicitly renounces any responsibility for injuries or damage by asking visitors to sign a disclaimer at the entrance.
CWI is urging the government to take action before someone, perhaps a child, is seriously injured or killed.
If tourists stop paying for photos at the Tiger Temple, how will the monks obtain the funds needed to care for the tigers?
An entrance fee to the Temple is 300 baht (US$9) per person. It has been reported that up to 900 tourists visit a day. In addition, the Temple also collects 'donations', and charges 1,000 baht (US$30) for tourists wishing to have their photograph taken while holding a tiger's head in their lap. At least 45 such photos are taken every day.
Using conservative estimates, based on the number of visitors, entrance fees and the price for having a picture taken with a tiger's head on your lap - the Temple earns about 45 million baht to 50 million baht (US$1.5m) per year.
It costs an average of 200,000 baht (US$6,000) per tiger a year for feed and basic vet care. For 16 tigers, the total estimate will only be 3.2 million baht (US$96,000).
Moreover, the Temple has been actively breeding the tigers, despite not having the legal permits to do so. If lack of funds is an issue, the Temple will have taken steps to prevent more cubs being born there. The abbot told one of CWI's investigators that he "likes to have cubs at the Temple all the time for the tourists".
Lack of funds is also unlikely to be the cause of the poor care and ill treatment of the Temple's tigers.

EFFORTS TO IMPROVE THE TIGER TEMPLE
The Tiger Temple is already making improvements to the enclosures so why should the tigers be relocated to a sanctuary?
It appears the Temple only started making improvements to the enclosures recently due to bad publicity and pressure from their donors and supporters. CWI does not accept that the tigers can live comfortably with perpetrators of wildlife crime and who already have a track record of animal cruelty.
Illegal wildlife trade and breeding is a serious crime. CWI is urging the Thai authorities to conduct a full investigation and take necessary action.

THE ROLE OF THE THAI AUTHORITIES
What can the Thai authorities do?
CWI is urging authorities to conduct a full investigation into the illegal trade and illegal breeding of the tigers at the Temple.
CWI feels that since serious wildlife crimes have been committed, the Thai authorities should make arrangements for the relocation of the tigers to a sanctuary facility with good welfare and husbandry standards, where they will not be abused or harassed by tourists daily.
The authorities have recommended a possible location. CWI has also identified a suitable facility in Thailand and is offering assistance in fundraising and support funding on condition that the authorities relocate the tigers to large suitable enclosures with pools, with a 'no-breeding' policy and physical contact with the public will not be allowed.

another one that's fallen for the fairytale.
here you can see a video of the lions they now have at the tiger temple.

http://www.ameliakinkade.net/charities

Video
http://www.ameliakinkade.net/video_interviews

anyone can feel free to write to her and point out she is supporting a Thai Mafia operation that profits from illegal cross-border trade of tigers.

Tiger cubs from a farm in Laos end up at the TT to be exploited as tourist attractions, then older tigers from the TT get shipped back to Laos and end up slaughtered for meat, body parts and turned into tiger wine etc for consumption in China.

News article about the tiger temple in the Bangkok Post 30-OCT-08.
The abbot was recently in hospital after his leg was injured by a tiger attack, however the article states he recently underwent heart surgery. The offending tiger was reportedly beaten and locked up in its cage, never to be let out again.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/301008_Outlook/30Oct2008_out50.php

http://www.asiangeo.com/tigerpoll/

you can vote! is the tiger temple:

* Exploiting the tigers
or
* Noble rescue work

?

tiger temple volunteer's personal account, copied from another group on facebook:
Post 1
Angela Darnley (Manchester) wrote on 29 November 2008 at 17:25

“The Abbot, Phra Acharn Chan, kindly welcomed the animals. And so the monks ended up looking after the orphaned cubs. None of them had any training in how to handle tigers. They had to learn on the job. The monastery did its duty. It became a sanctuary and it upholds the sanctity of compassion and kindness to all living creatures.”

I applied to volunteer at the Tiger Temple because I wanted to be a part of the promised “tigers roaming free with Buddhist monks” experience – having an interest in both wild animals (especially the big cats, of which tigers are really the only species I don’t have access to in SA) and Buddhism.

Although I understood that there was probably an element of “marketing speak” due to the fund raising slant in the promotion of the Temple and the mysticism of the whole experience, I thought that, due to my research on the Temple website and other pages and blogs, my expectations were realistic in terms of how these animals lived and were treated.

The animal cruelty and abuse at the Temple was blatant and obvious to me from the minute I arrived. (The first animal I came across was at the Volunteer’s House, a very distressed young female cat who was engorged and in agony with too much milk. Her five 2 week old kittens had been removed from her by Temple staff and – we were told - taken to a “Cat Temple”.

I was surprised and upset to come across an animal in such distress as this was not how I would imagine a sanctuary would treat any animal). I arrived mid-morning and on my first day one of the other volunteers who’d been there for a couple of weeks took me around to show me the captive animals. (There is also a large number of farm type animals – goats, cows, horses, chickens - and water buffalo, deer, wild boar and peacocks roaming around the Temple grounds.)

The first cage I came across was a large “chicken wire” cage under a tree with a hawk in it. The bird apparently had a broken wing. It is never released from the cage, which is strewn with rubbish (plastic wrappers and spoons) with flies all over it. Then there was a row of concrete cages with single adult tigers, one with the baby tigers, and at the end of the row (with a large generator placed in front of it so one couldn’t really see what was in this dark, dingy dungeon) a leopard who has, apparently, not been let out of the cage since she arrived there 8 years ago.

My next visit was to a large, double sized concrete cage almost out of view of all the other cages, where they keep two very young (I would estimate them to be about 6 months old) lion cubs (male and female). The cage is bare but for a concrete bowl of water. There is nowhere for them to shelter or hide (they are clearly terrified of humans) and certainly nothing for them to play with – no tyres or branches or any sort of toys. We then saw all the other tigers – either on their own or with two in a cage. Some of the tigers are never released from their concrete cages.

But others, on average 8 tigers a day (usually the same better behaved and better looking tigers – not the stroppy ones or those with scars or bloody eyes) are taken into the Canyon to be photographed with tourists. This “outing” liberates them from their cages for a 10 minute walk on stony gravel to the Canyon, three hours chained by the neck to a ring in the blazing sun, and a 10 minute walk back “home” to their cages. On their way to and from the canyon the tigers are encouraged to move by being lifted by the base of the tail, shoved and punched.

One “tiger girl” would always walk next to the tiger with a garden hoe in her hand, this she waved in front of the tiger’s face or banged on the ground next to it whenever it slowed down or stopped. (The threat was implicit, but the tiger was motivated to move whenever it saw that hoe.) Whilst in the Canyon, the tigers are disciplined with Tiger Balm being rubbed onto their faces, tiger urine being sprayed into their mouths and (surreptitiously, but in full view of tourists) being punched quickly on the face and head. As to whether the animals are drugged or not, I cannot be sure. (Although sedation would surely be the kindest way of helping them get through those long hot hours in the canyon.) The argument against drugging is the expense and, I believe, the difficulty of dosage (meticulously worked out amount of drug to body weight) – although local herbs mixed in with their boiled chicken could possibly work.

(Some of them were completely unresponsive all the time, even when we visited their cages in the early mornings or in the evenings, and this could possibly imply properly prescribed drugs.) In the Canyon the volunteers are there essentially for crowd control. I felt ashamed at being apparently complicit in the running of this circus - which is really no more than a money making scam where tourists are required to “donate” B300 to come into a Buddhist Temple (illegal to charge, by the way), and another B1000 for a ‘special’ photo with a tigers head placed in your lap.

This place is operated along the lines of a very badly run zoo with no money - not an animal sanctuary which receives all this money (work it out, an average of 400 people a day – and that’s on a slow day – with, say, very conservatively 50 people paying for photos) from tourists. Much of the money received over the years since the Animal Planet programme has been promoting it (since about 2003, I think) appears to have been (very recently, as in it has just started being built) spent on building a "Buddhist Park Project" which will essentially be an area to accommodate the followers of the Abbot's Teacher when he comes to visit the Temple!

The Tiger Island (“for their freedom and return to the forest”) which is apparently the reason we all throw money at the Temple is not yet complete, but seems to be nothing more that an area for tiger cages with a moat built around it so tourists can't actually get at them and see how they live – they will still operate the Canyon Photo Circus and, as they will still be hand reared, there is no plan to release tigers back into the wild (despite what it says on their website: “Grown cubs are to eventually be sent to forest areas, monitored and prepared for readiness prior to their release back to the forest.”)

Although we could wander around the cages at any time and watch the workers with the tigers, volunteers were now prevented from ever actually being with the tigers (no cleaning of cages, no bathing of babies) and I was only ever really in the same position as the tourists and never able to see how the staff treated the animals when there were no tourists watching them – but I feel that the way the tigers cringed away from chains, lengths of hose pipe, the garden hoe and some of the male staff members, that there was certainly discipline metered out behind ‘closed doors’.

When we did wander around the grounds – three female volunteers – visiting the cages and photographing the animals, we were watched at all times by the monks and senior staff who communicated on two way radios with one another.

Some odd things happened with the animals – we came across wild boars being captured by staff and the cages being loaded onto the back of a truck: we were told that they were being taken to be released at a National Park. Also, four adult tigers literally disappeared from their cages and the temple grounds overnight over a three week period. No explanation was given as to what had happened to them. Coincidentally, the four new cubs have been given the exact same names as those who have disappeared.

In the morning the baby tigers are brought to the temple where we have breakfast and are allowed to roam around with the monks, staff and volunteers. Every time a cub came anywhere near one of the volunteers, a staff member would yank it away, the babies (four of them are really little, 2 months old and one quite boisterous 5 month old – he was tied to a pillar) were pulled around by one leg or held back by the tail, slapped so they skidded across the wooden floor boards, thrown up into the air, their faces held and noses punched, pinched and flicked, they were continuously mauled, teased and tormented.

I have to admit that I couldn’t stand it for very long and stay lasted a mere 4 days! There is a flagrant lack of respect and compassion and certainly no love for these tigers. And this lack of feeling clearly gets worse as the animals get older and bigger and stronger.

Essentially, the animal welfare laws in South East Asia are not stringent enough to close down this establishment due to the cruelty and abuse that is metered out there (along with the illegal breeding - one tigress is kept with the sole purpose of producing cubs - which are removed from her almost immediately after birth and reared by humans). All we can do in the short term is spread the word to stop tourists from supporting this place.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6482963

“..the only thing the tiger temple teaches the Thai people is that you can make a lot of money by keeping tigers in captivity, pretending you are working on conservation..”

With regards to the notorious Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand:
Following repeated complaints from tourists and volunteers working at the temple about tigers being shockingly mistreated there, Care for the Wild International (CWI) undertook an intensive two year investigation. The resulting CWI report reveals illegal wildlife trade, animal cruelty, false conservation claims and visitor safety risks at the Temple.

You can read the report at: http://www.careforthewild.com/projects.asp?detail=true&I_ID=580&mypage=Reports

You can view the letter sent by the International Tiger Coalition to the Thai authorities protesting about the Tiger temple here:

http://www.careforthewild.com/files/itc_letter_oct_08.pdf

This issue has widespread media coverage:

CWI's press release - "Illegal tiger trade, cruelty and human health hazards at famous tourist destination":
http://www.careforthewild.com/files/tt_news_release%2020-06-08.pdf

"Black market tigers linked to Thai Temple, Reports says"
National Geographic News, 20 June 2008:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080620-tiger-temple.html

Hi,

i was there and i was horrified with what i ve seen: an awfull lot of people queueing to have their picture taken with the tigers, feeding and bathing cubs and other programms involving tourists to be in physical contact with the tigers. Tigers never get a rest.
As many people i went there thinking it was a refuge for tigers where they were rescued and looked after properly (i obviously should have gathered some info 1rst). The entrance ticket is 500baths. When i saw all the programms advertised on the wall i wanted to ask for a refund and i talk to one of the british volunteer there that somehow conviced me to do the visit. She said the programms were the only way for them to make money for the tigers. She also said that they had more and more cubs because the boudism is against sterilisation.

http://www.thairath.co.th/offline.php?section=hotnews&content=120746

Tourist hospitalised after being mauled by a photo-prop tiger in Thailand.

http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-world/nz-woman-attacked-by-tiger-in-thailand-20090127-7q3t.html


NZ woman attacked by tiger in Thailand
January 27, 2009

A New Zealand woman is recovering from a severe leg wound in Thailand after being attacked by a tiger.

Ruth Corlett, 45, apparently touched the tiger on the head at the Khumsu Chiang Mai Tiger Centre when it turned on her biting her on the leg.

Mrs Corlett, who had moved to Thailand in 2007 with her family to work for a charity-based organisation, was taken to hospital and had 54 stitches inserted in the wound, The New Zealand Herald reported.

Her husband, Stuart Corlett, said on Monday night his wife was doing "OK".

The owners of the tiger enclosure had offered to pay Mrs Corlett's medical expenses.

The tiger in question, called Pancake, was used to human contact and had never attacked before, a staff member at the park said.

Pancake had become irritated when a piece of Mrs Corlett's clothing brushed its eye, the staff member said.

From CWI
"...We are also negotiating with Lonely Planet to re-edit their portrayal of the Tiger Temple for their next publication. The current edition promotes it even more than past editions! So, if you can also send complaint emails to Lonely Planet as a separate entity, that might help. Thanks..."


Lonely Planet contact details:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/contact/general-feedback.cfm

how to have your photo taken with a tiger - florida style

http://www.buschgardens.com/bgt2/Gallery/Default.aspx?Tag=Tiger

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=6485518

a slightly more balanced version of the abc report

Im so glad to see this, I went there before I went to volunteer at the centre and I was horrified as well, I nearly left with tears in my eyes!!! All the tigers seemed druged and stoned!

http://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/Copy902166.htm

send this link to anyone considering going to the tiger temple.

anyone knows what has developed after this ? What is the Thai government's response ? Are they doing anything abt this situation?

We went there recently and had no idea about the drugging or mistreatment. The documentaries/stories I had seen about the temple were all positive and loving tigers, I had to go.

I was appauled at the way the tour was operated. 2 of the big male tigers once we got to the canyon tried to start fighting. I soon seen one of the handlers doing something underneathe the chain which is around the tigers neck and what do you know, the next second he has to pick the tigers head up (which is massive) to put it on his 2 front feet so it looks like he is sleeping.

The handlers were alse hitting the tigers in the face with their hats to somehow show some sort of feeling from the tigers for the pictures.

Horrible!! Not for animal lovers!!

http://www.kanchanaburi-info.com/en/saiyok.html#tiger

even the Kanachanuburi province official tourist website warns tourists not to go there.
the information is out there, it is a shame people do not do any proper research before they go.

Hiya all,
I am running a tiger temple cause on facebook. Please show your support and join. Furthermore, I have also got a petition going against this awful place. I have been there myself and was mortified, now I am doing something about it,a I cannot sit back and see what is happening and let this excrement continue. All those who dare say no and stand up for the tigers, unite!!!
Tiger temple petition link:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?tgrtmple
Thank you for your time and efforts. x

Please also see the new Tiger Temple Truths website at http://www.tigertempletruths.org

There is also now a Tiger Temple Truths Facebook group, so please join and spread the word!

Very pleased to find this group...

i have done undercover filming at this place for RTL TV (after the care for the wild report came out).... it is a weird, and sad place, with some very strange "cult like" american volunteers...and lots of gullible dumb tourists....

...and it's not a real temple

last year i spent several days going through flickr, adding the link to the report, to every shot I found taken at the "temple"....

you would not believe the abuse i received from some people....lol