Dead baby tigers found in Tiger Temple freezer

After tip off to look in temple's kitchen, 40 dead baby tigers & animal parts confirm wildlife trafficking suspicions.

WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING

Dead tiger cubs found in Tiger Temple freezer

1/06/2016
Bangkok Post and Reuters

Wildlife authorities made a grisly discovery at the Tiger Temple Wednesday.

They found the remains of 40 baby tiger cubs hidden in a freezer.

The dead tiger cubs - which observers said on Twitter appeared to have been killed recently -- were found in a kitchen area at the Tiger Temple.

Officials in Thailand find 40 dead tiger cubs in a temple freezer https://t.co/gKLdXPBbuW pic.twitter.com/tmw8ipNG32

— The New York Times (@nytimes) June 1, 2016

TIGER REMOVAL OPERATION

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has been on-site for three days, removing 137 tigers from the monks' custody after years of allegations of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse.

Their suspicions of animal trafficking appeared to have gained merit, based on Wednesday's find.

"They must be of some value for the temple to have kept them," said Adisorn Noochdumrong, deputy director-general of the department. "But what that may be is beyond me."

TIP OFF ABOUT SECRET DEAD ANIMAL STASH

Authorities stormed the kitchen facilities on Wednesday after getting a tip about the temple's secret stash of dead animals.

They also found the body of a Binturong, a protected species commonly known as a bearcat, and a number of dead wildlife organs.

Edwin Wiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand, tweeted wildlife authorities also confiscated a dozen protected hornbill birds on the premises.

His claim could not be independently confirmed.

Monks at the temple were not immediately available for comment.

TEMPLE CHARGED WITH ILLEGAL POSSESSION OF WILDLIFE CARCASSES

The temple has been charged with illegally possessing wildlife carcasses.

The charge carries a maximum penalty of four years in jail and a fine of 40,000 baht.

The temple already faces charges for having animals under protection, which has the same punishment.

Officials on Wednesday moved another 12 tigers to the Khao Son and Khao Prathap Chang Wildlife breeding centres in Ratchaburi's Chom Bung district.

This brought the total of animals relocated since Monday to 52.

There are 85 more there to be moved to the wildlife center.

WILDLIFE TRAFFICKING, CHINESE MEDICINE

The Tiger Temple has been investigated for suspected links to wildlife trafficking and abuse.

The raid on the temple that began on Monday is the latest move in a tug-of-war since 2001 to bring the tigers under state control.

Tiger parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

INTERNATIONAL PRAISE, CALL FOR TEMPLE BOYCOTT

The World Wildlife Fund on Wednesday praised the department for taking action against the monastery's zoo.

"This week's actions to remove the tigers from the Tiger Temple are long overdue and we strongly encourage the DNP to make the removal of the tigers permanent," said Yowalak Thiarachow, Country Director, WWF-Thailand.

On Tuesday, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals group said the temple was "hell for animals" and called on tourists to stop visiting animal attractions at home and abroad.

The temple had become a tourist destination where visitors snapped selfies with bottle-fed cubs.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/997733/dead-tiger-cubs-found-in-tiger-temple-freezer

สามารถฝึกอ่านออกเสียงและดูคำแปลได้ที่ : http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/997769/dead-baby-tigers-found-in-tiger-temple-freezer