THAILAND - Tiger Temple
Tiger Temple, a place owned and run by monks, is set up to be a sanctuary for rescued tigers. I was very excited about our visit to this place as it has been a childhood dream of mine to get close to these stunning creatures. Although it was an amazing experience to feel what the fur of such a powerful cat feels like, it wasn't quite the encounter I had hoped for. Being a popular tourist destination I should have expected the circus feel to the set up. In reality it is a great opportunity to raise funds to support these cats with such big appetites and to improve the enclosures.
What really bothered me though was that the place didn't seem to be the refuge for tigers that I imagined it to be, rather another example of animal exploitation that is so commonly found in Thailand. The docile and sedate behaviour of the animals can only lead to a conclusion of drugging by the keepers to facilitate safe photo taking sessions.