The fall and reincarnation of Thailand's Tiger Temple

Erik Cohen*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

This reconstructed anthropological case study of the prolonged struggle of the Thai authorities and animal rights and welfare activists against the Tiger Temple, focuses on the successful closure of the Temple's tiger displays, the removal of the tigers into government facilities, and the Temple's attempt to reincarnate its tiger displays in a formally separate tiger zoo. The paper concludes that the manner in which the authorities handled the process, eventuated in undesired consequences for all participants: Though the Temple was granted a license for its zoo, it remained without its tigers; the removal burdened the authorities with the care for the relocated animals; and the tigers suffered a reduction in their welfare conditions. The article highlights the need to pay increased attention to the neglected problem of the level of welfare of wild animals after they have been released from the clutch of traffickers or from animal entertainment facilities.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)115-131
Number of pages17
JournalInternational Journal of Tourism Anthropology
Volume7
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2019 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.

Keywords

  • Animal welfare
  • DNP
  • Thai Department of National Parks
  • Thailand
  • Tiger shows
  • Tiger Temple
  • Tiger trafficking
  • Tourist-animal interaction

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