4. The 40 Cubs | The Tiger Temple

A “conservation project” is exposed as nothing more than a front, for an illegal wildlife trafficking operation. 

Host Odeya delivers the harrowing story of the tiger temple scandal, which exposed the exploitation and wildlife trafficking of dozens of tigers in Thailand. The narrative follows the timeline of events that led to the temple’s downfall and the many lessons still needed to be learned from the failures of authorities. 

The episode follows the announcement of the big cat public safety act being signed into law, soon after Netflix’s the tiger king aired in 2020. 

Created by @Host Odeya: https://www.instagram.com/host_odeya/

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Sources:

1.   https://time.com/4470315/tiger-temple-thailand/
2.   https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/environment-and-conservation/2019/09/86-tigers-rescued-tiger-temple-died-government-custody
3.  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/160121-tiger-temple-thailand-trafficking-laos0
4.  https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/thailands-tiger-temple-raid/
5. https://www.cee4life.org/wp-content/uploads/cee4life_tiger-temple-report.pdf
6.  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-49712765
7.  https://www.fortigers.org/post/five-years-on-what-happened-to-the-tigers-of-tiger-temple
8.  https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/40-tiger-cub-bodies-found-in-freezer-of-thailand-s-tiger-temple-a7059131.html
9. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/thailand-tiger-slaughterhouse-discovered-by-police-at-temple-following-tipoff-a7069641.html
10.  https://coconuts.co/bangkok/features/exclusive-depth-interview-10-year-tiger-temple-volunteer-gary-agnew/
11.  https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2016/6/5/what-really-happened-at-thailands-tiger-temple

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Odeya: Ever been on a gap year? No, me neither. I never look good in this student gap year starter pack. You know what I'm talking about. Those black Harlem pants with the Indian elephants on them. Practically screaming I'm finding myself. Paired with a tie dye tee. Essential for blending in with the local hippie population.

[00:00:19] Completed perhaps with Birkenstocks. The official footwear of enlightenment. Who needs arch support when you're ascending spiritual peaks? Hey, take it easy, I'm not judging if that's you. I'm obviously super jealous I never got to find myself in another country, halfway around the world. I had to settle for the conservative shores of the UK.

[00:00:37] Poor me. Anywho. The reason I bring this up is because, in a previous life, a charity I worked for funded these very trips for their employees to go on. They would be flown to countries where they had projects in. Typical examples include spay, neutering, and vaccination campaigns, rolled out in poverty stricken communities.

[00:00:55] Those who resided in these areas were always grateful for the assistance. They [00:01:00]would show their gratitude by insisting on hosting my colleagues for meals, or gifted them handmade items at the end of their trip. One colleague was granted the opportunity to spend two months in Thailand, helping the local authorities conduct raids on individuals involving cruel practices involving dogs.

[00:01:17] On the rare days off, he would explore the local culture, the sandy, polluted beaches. Or fall into the overrated tourist traps. When asked about other certain activities, he claimed he had no knowledge on the topic. Sure, Ray. Whatever you say. Upon his return, we were subjected to the insufferable swipes of pictures he had on his phone, but a few, however, did spark my interest.

[00:01:40] Pictured in a dusty setting, within what appeared to be an old quarry, stood my colleague hunched over a suspiciously sleepy tiger. His arms stretched across the tiger's body, positioned in a seductive pose which I can only assume was to appear more tinder friendly. Stood beside him was a monk dressed in orange and saffron robes, clutching tightly to a chain [00:02:00] placed around the tiger's neck.

[00:02:01] Intrigued to know more about this place, other staff spoke up. But the information that was delivered to us appeared to be nothing more than regurgitated words, fed to him by the monks themselves. He praised the conservation work they claimed to partake in, but a quick Google search raised the suspicion that these projects simply did not exist, and just a few years later, the place was raided.

[00:02:24] A warning, this episode will contain graphic details of animal cruelty and death, so listener discretion is advised. Fun fact, there are more tigers in captivity than there are living in the wild. Just 5, 574 roam freely, according to the Global Tiger Forum as of 2023. In 2021, the US alone accounted for more than 5, 000 captive tigers, with that number suspected to be higher since no federal law or government agency was responsible to track where all these tigers were or who owned them.

[00:02:57] Only 6 percent of captive tigers resided [00:03:00] in zoos or other facilities that were accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The others could be found in backyards, roadside attractions or breeding facilities. In Texas, it was easier to claim ownership over a tiger than it was a dog that had been labeled dangerous by the state.

[00:03:17] In fact, they were cheaper to purchase too. Cubs could go for as little as $900, where a purebred English Bulldog would set you back around $2,000, and with just the need of a Certificate of Registration issued by a local animal control office, and an insurance policy that paid out at least $100,000 towards property damages and injuries.

[00:03:37] It was financially worth it for the wow factor alone. Other states, including Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, had no laws against keeping wild animals as pets at all. That is, until a certain Netflix series came out, and exposed the damaged cause to the big cat species hidden within a private underworld.

[00:03:56] Netflix's The Tiger King perfectly demonstrated the consequences [00:04:00] encountered. When lenient loopholes in laws allowed unstable, uneducated, and just plain awful people to hide behind the tarnished word conservation. On December 20th, 2022, Joe Biden just about managed to sign the Big Cat Public Safety Act into law.

[00:04:16] The bill enacts to end the private ownership of big cats as pets and cash cows. and prohibits exhibitors from allowing public contact with them. Those already in possession were required to register their cats with the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service no later than June 18th, 2023. Those who find themselves in violation of this law would become subject to seizure along with the risk of fines and imprisonment.

[00:04:39] Across the Far East, however, sees the situation drastically becoming worse. Value can be seen in the cats whether they are alive or dead. With a lucrative market for all body parts belonging to a tiger. WWF obtains evidence of practices which involve skins being used in home decor and clothing, teeth and claws made into trinkets and amulets.[00:05:00]

[00:05:00] Dressed up in all this finery for dinner means you can enjoy their meat too, paired perfectly with tiger bone wine, a beverage comprising of tiger bones which are left to soak in alcohol over the course of around 8 years. Popular belief within the culture claims the protein and calcium found within the bones have healing properties, boost intelligence, and increase the virality in men.

[00:05:22] Supply in this market comes from the near 8,900 tigers held in captive facilities across Asia, primarily in China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Thailand accounts for 1,600 of these tigers. Most are hidden in plain sight, others tend to go missing when a back is turned, and some simply never existed on paper at all. When a taxidermist received a live female tiger cub from a wealthy Bangkok resident in 1999, with a request for it to be killed and stuffed, an unlikely event occurred.

[00:05:54] The professional couldn't go through with it. His sudden change of heart resulted in the cub being delivered to a Buddhist [00:06:00] temple in Kanchanburi, three hours northwest of Bangkok. The forest monastery, enriched with 60 acres of land, was a paradise. A scenic collage of elemental by product, and wildlife, including hundreds of deer, wild boar, cows, ponies, and pea fowl, roamed freely within the forest, indulging on its produce and coexisting with their spiritual neighbours.

[00:06:22] The temple's abbot, Luang Ta Chan, would tell visitors that the animals came to them of their own free will. Quote, This place formed itself, he would say. They wander around uninhibited, mate and reproduce as they so choose. The same was said for the tigers, quote, They are not here by chance. They came to me looking for protection and now I am responsible for them.

[00:06:44] A year after the first cub arrived and the doors opened to the public, eight more orphans tiptoe beaned onto the scene and quickly grew to have cubs of their own, which reportedly delighted and surprised the abbot that they had chosen the temple as their sanctuary, [00:07:00] quote. I'll admit in the first year, I had no cages for the tigers.

[00:07:04] They ran around free the whole day. I didn't know how to deal with them at breakfast. We would just feed them what we ate, which was usually rice or chicken soup with lemon juice. Many locals would say that it was not the duty of the monks to care for the tigers. There were problems with the authorities, but when we started to become known throughout the whole country, things got a little easier.

[00:07:25] And chan would contact as many newspapers as he could to spread the word, even boasting of previously riding on a tiger's back for a photographer to help encourage any financial support from the public. The tiger's needs cost a small fortune for the temple after all, but it did pay off. Soon tourists would arrive in the coachloads to experience their very own Snow White moments.

[00:07:46] In the beginning, the monks were lenient with their guests. You could walk freely among the tigers. No precautions necessary. But as their popularity grew, strict protocols would set the tourists back more in donations and less With freedom with enforced [00:08:00] rules, the participating tigers of the day would be chosen supposedly on how calm they appeared At breakfast.

[00:08:06] At midday, the cats would be walked down a trail through the forest to an artificial canyon, complete with rocky face, cliff, and pond to meet their eager guests. There, the tigers would be spaced out around the canyon equally, slouching down at the command of the temple's hired staff, where they would be chained for security precautions.

[00:08:24] Their docile etiquette would be addressed as routinely being sleepy in the afternoons, which conveniently allowed the monks to manipulate their bodies into picture friendly poses for their guests. As the kingdom grew more successful, so did the tiger's numbers. Surprisingly, tigers tend to breed well in captivity, sorry, whilst living in harmony with their spiritual carers.

[00:08:46] I forget it's not a zoo. The conservation program supposedly in place was working towards increasing the population, ready for an introduction into the wild. Chung would tell the tigers, yes the tigers themselves, quote, I tell them [00:09:00] I will return their children and grandchildren to the forest. But to do that, We need a lot of money, and we need lots of supporters to get back to the forest.

[00:09:08] They will need to work hard for themselves, and the next generation. Oh, and just for clarification, they preferred to hear it in English rather than Thai. I'm not kidding. The Cubs born at the temple would immediately become a hit. For $35 you could participate in a feeding session. For $23 you could sit in on an evening play and photo op.

[00:09:29] Or if you fancy grabbing the overpriced early bird special, you could join the monks and the cubs for breakfast, followed by a tiger adventure for $140. The Abbots vision had begun to construct into formation. In 2012, a dedicated area, nestled within the heart of the forest, which spanned across five acres, was transformed into Tiger Island.

[00:09:51] Which boasted of 20 custom designed concrete cages, surrounded by enclosed runs the tigers had access to on a rotational basis. The abbot also hired [00:10:00] more temple staff, who diligently ensured the tigers were regularly bathed, exercised and fed in the monk's absence. No qualifications were needed here, by the way.

[00:10:09] The staff had developed to become experts in their own right. Insisting they knew of a tiger's slightest movement or sound, they understood them, just like the Abbot did. This picture perfect experience, fed the desires of so many, starved of Instagram worthy eye candy, or the holy swipe right for love.

[00:10:27] But what if I told you that those pictures allegedly funded a different operation altogether? Would you have kept them, or would you have at least resisted the urge to use them as a conversation starter? That story of the first tiger cub I told earlier. Yeah, there's at least three other versions of those.

[00:10:45] One says it was the taxidermist who brought the cub to the temple. Another says it was a farmer, then villagers, and it goes on. Wikipedia is so flimsy with the details these days. The moment the temple accepted the cubs, they were in violation of the [00:11:00] law. They had not reported on their ownership of endangered species whether they had come in refuge or not.

[00:11:05] In 2001, the Department of National Parks seized the tigers for lack of legal permission, but allowed the temple to keep them on site. Under the condition they would not be used for trading or breeding purposes, and quite rightly so, turns out the pedigree of the tigers were unsuitable for any conservation program.

[00:11:23] All eight were a mix of two subspecies, the Bengal and Indo Chinese, however the rules were ignored, with Australia's cee4life suggesting the temple had bred parents to offspring and brothers to sisters, causing serious inbreeding, and just two years later, the population had almost doubled. On September 11, 2012, Wildlife Friends Foundation claimed the DNP returned to the temple after complaints were made accusing the monks of profiting from the animals by allowing tourist visits.

[00:11:52] After a 20 minute negotiation, the abbot allowed the authorities to assess the living conditions of the park. However, [00:12:00] disagreements over the cats care occurred when the DNP mentioned transferring some of the tigers to state owned zoos, in which the abbot responded, quote, I am not sure the new places will have good conditions like this place.

[00:12:11] We are very close to the tigers, and they may suffer from stress if they are taken away. So far, the park had 99 tigers under their roof, which officials highlighted needed to be curbed. The department needed to closely cooperate with the temple. The rapid increase in tiger numbers would pose an added burden.

[00:12:31] But as far as we know, the temple has a veterinary team to control the tiger population and the abbot has also said he would separate the male and female tigers during mating season. But why would he do that? The cubs were the true cash cows after all, up to 400 visitors a day, paying $17 per person for the entrance fee, brought in over 2 million a year, and that's not counting those close by experiences, which were always in high demand.

[00:12:58] The people only wanted to grab a selfie with [00:13:00] a cute tiger cub, so why starve them at that? And speed breeding allowed the show to go on. The demand pushed for the cubs to be separated from their mother as early as 7 days old, with anywhere between 6 and 20 tiger cubs needed every 3 months. In one case, a 16 year old tigress had been estimated to have had at least 20 to 30 litters of cubs up until 2015.

[00:13:23] It was also suggested, for reasons unknown, that when they were separated, the cubs would be kept within proximity and earshot of the mother, who would spend weeks calling out to her babies. A lot of them just seemed to disappear too. Volunteers at the temple would come forward to expose the undergrowth concealing suspected trafficking allegations.

[00:13:43] Volunteers like Ash Waldron. Who worked at the temple for 5 months before witnessing the birth of 4 cubs which just vanished overnight. When he asked about their whereabouts, the temple staff denied they ever existed, but when Ash mentioned he saw them with his own eyes, the staff threatened his life to not speak of [00:14:00] it.

[00:14:00] To keep things under wraps the staff also confiscated his camera, before informing them they were in possession of a gun, triggering him to leave the temple immediately. Others, were labelled as militant environmentalists. And faced threats of being pursued and run down by staff members in vehicles off site.

[00:14:17] Dead men tell no tales after all. With little to no paper trail anyway, it was difficult to prove they existed in the first place. The same went for the adult tigers. In 2007, the downfall of the temple began when they permitted student Sybil Foxcroft to conduct her thesis research on the premises. Sybil had been granted authorization to gather and document her data from areas off limits to the public when she encountered one of the illegal dealings herself on her second night.

[00:14:45] Speaking to National Geographic, she recalls laying awake in 90 degree heat when she heard a series of roars and cries coming from panicked cubs. Quote,

[00:14:56] When she approached the tiger's cages, flashlights surrounded [00:15:00] one cage in particular, occupied by a female. She witnessed the tiger smash herself against the bars before falling silent. As she lay motionless on the floor, a man threw her two four month old cubs into a sack and tossed them into the back of a truck.

[00:15:13] Sybil quickly returned to her bungalow, afraid of being caught. From there, she watched the driver stop and speak to the abbot and other monks before driving away. It didn't take long for her to realize this was an ongoing operation that involved multiple people from both inside and outside of the temple.

[00:15:30] Other staff had the same story to tell. So Sybelle began to interview these witnesses, starting with a temple worker known as Bank. Bank's insights explain the disappearance of two tigers and their replacements. one of these exchanges was on the evening of august 23rd, 2005, which involved a female tiger being delivered to the site by a man identified as Han Tong.

[00:15:52] The same man, he said. Who had taken a male tiger a year prior. Tong administrated a sedative to the female tiger before [00:16:00] implanting a microchip into her neck, which was then scanned by the abbot, who was also present. The veterinary files for the tiger, obtained by Sybelle, revealed a contract between the temple and a Laos tiger farm, confirming the trade involving her and a male tiger named Payak.

[00:16:15] Who had already disappeared before her arrival. Payek was one of the original eight who arrived at the temple in 1999 and disappeared in 2004. However, cee4life, founded by sybelle, insisted his picture was still displayed in brochures, handed out to the public as late as 2007. If returning visitors began to ask of a smuggled tiger's whereabouts, a simple name change for one of their descendants soon pacified their concerns.

[00:16:41] Over the span of nine years, Sybelle diligently collected numerous documents, video footage, audio clips, and pictures showcasing a continuous pattern of abuse and trafficking. Allegations suggesting the Tigers were subjected to relentless mistreatment which included beatings, kicking, punching, and being struck with belts and [00:17:00] rocks.

[00:17:00] Additionally, disturbing methods such as spraying their faces with urine or applying tiger balm directly into their eyes was used as a discipline method. By 2015, she had compiled a list that identified a total of 281 tigers that had passed through the temple since 1999. When considering the number of deaths that occurred, Foxcroft claimed 134 is a number way too high.

[00:17:24] Tigers in captivity normally live around 16 to 22 years, so where were all those tigers? On December 21st, 2014, following a night out on the town, temple staff trudged through their morning rounds until they stumbled upon an empty enclosure that belonged to a tigress. Etched into the floor of the cage were unmistakable scratch marks, whilst outside, scattered on the ground, For remnants of a fierce altercation, the Tigress had evidently resisted fiercely, leaving behind fragments of her own claws.

[00:17:55] And a few nights later, on December 25th, cameras recorded not [00:18:00] St. Nick, but temple staff arriving on the grounds after closing hours between 6 and 6. 25pm. At 9. 22pm, three cars could be seen entering the temple, which were then led by a man on a quad bike to the internal entrance of Tiger Island. Two vehicles were then caught leaving at 

[00:18:17] 10:37pm, with one returning for a second time an hour later and parking up at the enclosures for approximately 40 minutes before returning to the front gate to leave. The following morning, two more tigers had vanished. The group chat logs leaked shared their concerns amongst the volunteers, who were told the missing tigers were exchanged for a white one who was yet to arrive at the monastery.

[00:18:38] When another raised the matter further, a monk responded by saying, quote, It's not a big deal. The tigers are okay, and you need to shut the fuck up, end quote. Except it was a big deal. Turns out the wrong tigers had been targeted. The ones taken had been microchipped, rendering them traceable, and exposing a dark illegal underbelly that the abbot couldn't keep [00:19:00] hidden for much longer.

[00:19:01] And soon journalists swiftly descended upon the temple to interrogate the abbot, however he declined to be interviewed. Directing any questions to his secretary, who dismissed the allegations to National Geographic, stating, quote, We still have all our tigers here. They still all completely stay in the tiger temple.

[00:19:19] End quote. In late February 2015, the temple's long term vet, Somchai, resigned abruptly. He proceeded directly to the authorities, where he delivered free microchips supposedly cut out from the missing tigers. This marked a turning point. The DNP could no longer stand by and allow these activities to continue unchecked, and the temple had been pushing boundaries lately.

[00:19:41] Just a few weeks earlier, the department was tipped off that the temple was harboring additional endangered species without the correct documentation. When they went to investigate, they seized 38 illegal hornbills and uncovered hidden Asian bears, porcupines, and an African lion. With the vets cooperation, the department [00:20:00] strategized a raid with the intention to remove the tigers from the temple's grasps.

[00:20:03] The recent interference had heightened tensions between the two parties. leading the monks to block any attempts to gain access onto the property. So when the authorities showed up on April 10th, they were surprised to be met with no objections, and even an offer of assistance to check the tiger's identifications.

[00:20:19] Despite raised eyebrows, the officials permitted the staff to proceed. The tigers were let out in groups of four and tethered to a tree before being scanned from microchips. When questioned by the media about the DNP's intentions to seize the animals, their response was quote, We had that idea, but within our actions so far, it has not reached that process yet.

[00:20:40] Within the findings, the department confirmed that the three tigers had gone missing from the temple with an additional 13 more lacking microchips. Adding to the gravity of the situation was the discovery of a tiger carcass found stored in the freezer for reasons unknown. But Gary Agnew, who had served as an advisor to the temple for little over a decade, [00:21:00] conducted his own investigation and asserted that the tigers were poached as a result of an inside job.

[00:21:06] Which only came to light because it was a quote, botched initiative. The staff had grabbed the wrong tigers, who were registered traceable cats. On the nights they were stolen, the foreign staff were off the premises for celebrations, which indicated someone knew of the schedule. Gary refused to believe Somchais outtake of events too, claiming Somchai lacked the skills to successfully remove microchips from a live tiger.

[00:21:29] Highlighting quote, What most people don't know is that these chips travel, so it'd take an extremely skilled surgeon to remove them. So the tigers were most likely destroyed because of this, and he's claiming someone just gave them to him? End quote. A month later, on May 30th, 500 officers, wildlife officials, veterinarians and police stood patiently awaiting orders, sheltered from the heat beneath the shade of a towering nine meter high yawning tiger sculpture, which had previously served as the temple's welcome [00:22:00] mascot.

[00:22:00] Members of the press waiting alongside them were handed a two page declaration explaining that legally, every tiger in the country was a national asset, and the Tiger Temple had a long history of exploiting the property of the government for personal gain. The monks didn't care, and staged a silent protest by sitting in the way of the temple's only gate, forcing the DNP to leave and arm themselves with a court order, allowing entry by force less than 24 hours later.

[00:22:26] As they finally stepped onto the property, loose tigers prowled the compound freely. A deliberate act of defiance orchestrated by the monks who remained unmoved, but did remain fixated on the unfolding spectacle. On the first night, by a stroke of unfortunate coincidence, four tigers managed to escape from the enclosures, wrecking havoc by preying on the other animals within the premises.

[00:22:48] To make matters worse, the monks also refused to feed the animals, forcing the operation to extend across the entire week. Eventually, the teams managed to organize themselves into an efficient chain, managing the [00:23:00] removal of 147 tigers, averaging more than 20 a day, but it was risky. A few of the tigers tranquilized for transportation, did not react well to the sedatives, which did complicate things.

[00:23:11] All that could be done was to watch the tigers closely. And as the operation progressed, it became clear that the DNP were extracting far more than just the tigers. On June 1st, authorities found 40 dead tiger cubs in a freezer, along with a bear cat and other animal parts. The temple was quick to explain that a policy change, put in place by ex vet Somchai in 2010.

[00:23:32] Requested that any deceased cubs were preserved in jars or kept frozen instead of cremated. The same was said by the volunteers, who swore the DNP knew about the practice for years. A litter's natural mortality rate can push 40%, so this was done to prove they were not being illegally trafficked.

[00:23:48] Contrary to the claims made by the staff, the DNP insisted on a different narrative. Despite inquiries about the freezer, none of the personnel admitted to its existence or provided any knowledge regarding [00:24:00] it. Furthermore, 39 of the cubs found lacked any accompanied paperwork, which only added to the suspicion surrounding the temple's activities.

[00:24:08] To which an official said, quote, They must have been of some value to the temple, to keep them, but for what is beyond me, end quote. Volunteers continued to defend the temple, stating that the speed breeding practice had ended, with no new cubs born for over a year. The temple had began to change its stripes, quote, Yes, awful things had happened, said Tanya, to Time magazine, who had been volunteering at the park for six years, but there was new management and everything seemed to be moving forward.

[00:24:37] The temple had even purchased adjacent land for a new sanctuary, where each cat would have four acres and no human contact, but that's all been ripped away now, end quote. But the deep rooted loyalty began to decay when things took a darker turn within the searches of the monks sleeping quarters. Which revealed the discovery of two tiger skins, along with ten fangs and a dozen pieces of tiger fur.

[00:24:59] [00:25:00] Officers also uncovered 20 jars containing preserved tiger cubs and parts, including two whole bodies and organs suspected of being utilized in the production of medicine. Additionally, they discovered materials intended for the creation of deer antler supplements and flat timbers sourced from the protected Siamese rosewood.

[00:25:18] Later that evening, personnel intercepted a monk and two other individuals attempting to leave the premises in a lorry, which upon inspection, uncovered two additional full length tiger skins, 700 amulets, and 10 tiger fangs. Safe to say Tanya had mixed emotions regarding her loyalty by this point. oh christ there's more.

[00:25:37] A few days later, the police raided a house 30 miles from the venue where they found four more tigers within a fenced compound. Police believed it was a holding pen for tigers destined to be slaughtered for their skin, meat and bones, which would be exported outside of the country or sent to restaurants in Thailand that serve tiger meat.

[00:25:55] This humbling reality check did hit hard with Temple supporters. Many who were vocal in [00:26:00] its defense to begin with began quietly deleting their social media posts from their profile in an attempt to damage control, whilst others publicly held up their hands to yield from the backlash. And by the week's end, the 147 tigers caught were relocated to government facilities around 56 miles south of Kanchanburi.

[00:26:19] 22 men, including three monks, were charged with possession of endangered animal parts without permission over the discovery of 40 dead tiger cubs. And when the cubs bodies were tested, the abbot himself faced charges when it was revealed the DNA from six cubs did not match any resident tigers at the temple, suggesting they had come from illegal sources.

[00:26:39] Representatives for Chang maintained he had nothing to do with the alleged abuse and illegal trading. Instead, they blamed subordinates and other temple officials. When attempting to question the man himself, he kept his distance in a golf cart, claiming he had a heart condition, which made it inconvenient to talk to reporters.

[00:26:56] Poor guy. . A few weeks later, concerns escalated [00:27:00] as footage emerged showing the tigers in their new habitats exhibiting troubling signs of unnatural behavior. The cramped conditions had stripped the tigers of enrichment and stimulation, causing behaviors such as head bobbing, compulsive licking, and barbiting.

[00:27:13] which did result in facial injuries and lone immune systems from the stress. Conservationists recognized the city's budget constraint, but empathized that they should have sought assistance from the numerous organizations that had offered support. Instead, they insisted on shouldering the burden entirely on their own.

[00:27:29] And by that point, it was too late. By 2019, more than half the tigers had perished due to the disease caused by stress and poor living conditions. The cats were kept in inadequately sized cages, resulting in the rapid spread of respiratory illnesses. It was a catch 22 from the start. Had the tigers remained, they would have still been at risk of meeting the same fate, but instead, would have been skinned and had their body parts sold too, according to Sybelle Foxcroft.

[00:27:54] The DNP blamed inbreeding and the forced hand to remove the tigers all at once, limiting their [00:28:00] options on where to keep them. Quote We tried to take away the tigers slowly, but after the temple authorities refused to cooperate, it prompted the May 30 raid. And back at the temple, in the aftermath of the raid, numerous animals were left behind.

[00:28:15] Only those labelled as endangered received the attention of the government, for the rest there was no concern. With the star attractions gone, the once bustling venue now stood largely deserted. Left behind were the volunteers who admirably stepped up and bared the burden of funding the animals food expenses, but often resorted to pleading with tourists and the community for donations.

[00:28:34] Over 100 animals, including cows, buffalos, and a single male lion called Petchi, who was apparently rescued from a drug lord in Bangkok, were left to fend for themselves. When journalists returned for a follow up, they found the animals presenting as thin and lethargic, underscoring the neglect they had endured in their abandonment.

[00:28:53] In 2017, the temple's website unexpectedly displayed a new venture on their homepage titled [00:29:00] A New Home for the Tigers Project, which showcased a new zoo taking form just next door to the temple. Though not legally connected, the off shot business venture held strong connections to its neighbor, who coincidentally had changed their name from Tiger Temple Co.

[00:29:14] Ltd. to Golden Tiger Co. Ltd. They also shared the same registration ID and office address, pointed out to the DNP by Wild Animal Protection. The zoo had been granted a provisional license back in April 2016, just before the raid took place. Set to be built on 10 acres and costing an estimated 3.4 million, it planned to hold hundreds of tigers which could be used once again as props for souvenir snaps and interaction activities.

[00:29:40] But this was only on the condition they met 11 additional requirements, which included providing enclosures deemed large enough and on-site veterinary care. Quote It will be legal because the government can control it by law directly, said the DNP. They are registered as a zoo now. Not just having animals in the temple like before.

[00:29:59] [00:30:00] That was one of the last times the zoo was ever mentioned by the press. Since the pandemic, there have been no indications that that zoo ever opened its doors to the public. Bet you didn't see that one coming. I couldn't quite believe it myself so I thought I would ask the experts. If you just hang tight for a minute.

[00:30:15] Let's see who responded. Oh that's right, Carole Baskin. A Carole Baskin of Big Cat Rescue. Known better for something else, I'm sure, but Anyway. Quote. I don't think anything ever came of their boisterous claims of opening a new zoo. We would have been all over it. Signed, For the Cats. Okay. Oh, and Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand responded, quote, Thankfully, the place never reopened.

[00:30:44] Signed, Tom, Operations Manager. Great, there you go. Thanks guys, that was super insightful. So far, Abbot luang ta chan has never faced charges over what happened, who still to this day claims he never knew anything other than what he was told by [00:31:00] the veterinarian, and after refusing to turn himself in, he avoided prosecution.

[00:31:05] The other individuals who were originally arrested and charged appeared to have slipped through the justice system also. To date, no information can be found on their outcome. The remaining Tigers still reside at two government owned facilities. As of 2020, out of 147 tigers rescued, only around 50 still survive.

[00:31:25] A blog post by the charity 4 Tigers announced their assistance to help fund the construction of six new enclosures within the facility, complete with enrichment items such as coconuts, ropes and tires, as well as providing carnivore supplements and chicken to maintain the cat's healthy immune system.

[00:31:41] The improved life envisioned by so many had not been achieved, but the upgrades did encourage a healthier and more stimulated lifestyle than before, and at least there were no more selfies to take. Currently, at least 1, 962 captive tigers in over 63 facilities remain in [00:32:00] Thailand. Kudos if you made it to the end there. It was not a pleasant episode, I know.

[00:32:06] Uncharitable was created by me, Host Odeya. With the vision to illuminate the unethical shadows within philanthropy. As an independent podcaster, I need all the help I can get, even if it's just a two sentence response from Carole Baskin. So if you like the show, consider contributing to the community by visiting my small corner of the world.

[00:32:26] It's there. I tend to archive my little findings and post about what charity made the headlines that week, for all the wrong reasons. You can seek us on Instagram, Reddit or X, at Uncharitable Pod. Alrighty, till next time.