Written by: Will Jones

Wildlife authorities finally intervene

The highly controversial ‘Tiger Temple’ in Thailand has today been raided by wildlife authorities, who have seized at least 40 of the big cats and promised to take more in the coming days.

The Buddhist temple, located in Kanchanaburi province, has become infamous over the last few years for its alleged links to wildlife trafficking and animal abuse. The monks who own the temple have been accused of illegally breeding the tigers, too.

Speaking to Reuters, Adisorn Nuchdamrong, deputy director-general of the Department of National Parks, said his team obtained a warrant a few hours before the operation.

“We have a court warrant this time, unlike previous times, when we only asked for the temple’s cooperation, which did not work.

“International pressure concerning illegal wildlife trafficking is also part of why we’re acting now.”

Unwitting tourists, unaware of the attraction's dark underbelly, still frequent the temple, though many claim the tigers appear to be drugged and not in their natural state, as suggested by the image at the top.

For a more ethical Thailand experience, check out this volunteering placement where you can help rehabiliate elephants back into their natural environments.