Rangers probe tigers missing from temple

Bengal cats net B5m each, vet claims theft

The Department of National Park, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) will launch an investigation into the tiger population at Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua temple in Kanchanaburi, after a former veterinarian claimed three of them had mysteriously disappeared.

The DNP’s acting deputy director Adisorn Nutdamrong said authorities will speak to their regional office to form a team of inspectors to pursue the case.

In 2001, the DNP attempted to confiscate seven tigers after discovering they were being kept at the temple, but later allowed them to stay after the temples’ assurances that they were well looked after.

The number of tiger cubs has increased over the years and now totals 147.

According to Somchai Wichetmongkolchai, the temples’ tiger veterinarian who has since resigned, the abducted felines include a seven-year-old Bengal male tiger, “Dao Nua”, or northern star, who went missing from his cage on Dec 21, 2014. Five days later, “Fa Kram”, or blue sky, and “Happy”— both three-yearolds— also vanished.

CCTV footage from cameras at the temple’s gate and along routes to “Tiger Island”, where tigers are kept inside the compound, showed three suspicious pickup trucks and sedans entering the temple immediately before the animals went missing, he said.

Mr Somchai, who left his post as the temple vet because of the disappearances, believes the three animals were smuggled out to be sold in a foreign country, as each is worth an estimated five million baht.

Temple administrators met with DNP’s director-general to alert him about the incident, but no progress had been made, said Mr Somchai.

Mr Adisorn, meanwhile, said authorities are searching for the big cats and are also trying to relocate the ones still at the temple.

He admitted the DNP’s attempts to transfer the cats have all failed so far.

“We were trying to find the tigers a new home but powerful people in the province urged us not to because the tigers attract many tourists,’’ he said.

However, the department has now secured two places for them in Ratchaburi, for when it is possible to move them, he said.

Inspectors will examine the tiger case in upcoming weeks and if the mystery of the vanishing cats is not solved, police will be alerted, he added.

It’s not easy to smuggle tigers from the temple, Mr Adisorn said.

If the tigers are transferred, it may give thieves the chance to steal more, he added.

Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua temple is a famous, but controversial, tourist attraction as it has been permitted to take care of the animals even though possession of endangered species in Thailand is illegal.