FEARS FOR CUBS AT SHOCK ZOO

A TIGER tourist attraction that was closed after 40 dead cubs were found packed in a freezer is trying to relaunch.

Campaigners are desperately fighting to block the opening of the Golden Tiger – after it was revealed the owners are the people behind the notorious Tiger Temple.

When police raided the premises in Thailand last year they also found hundreds of tiger parts, including teeth prepared for trinkets. Tiger bones are used in Chinese medicine.

The World Animal Protection charity’s Dr Jan Schmidt-Burbach of said: “These tiger venues need to be stopped in their tracks because they clearly have links to the dark side of wildlife trafficking rings.”

In the same raid, 147 tigers were confiscated. Investigations into links between the temple and the illegal wildlife trade are ongoing.

But now the firm has changed its name, has a temporary zoo licence and has applied for a full one. It has begun building on a site in the Kanchanaburi region, west of Bangkok.

Selfies

Tiger Temple made a name for itself by letting tourists pet the animals and taking selfies. Even before last year’s grim finds it was accused of drugging tigers, mistreatment and illegal breeding, with footage released of animals being mishandled.

Dr Schmidt- Burbach said: “Tourists need to be aware that their once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get up close to a tiger causes a lifetime of suffering. A selfie with a tiger is cruel, so don’t do it.”

The c harity’s petition, demanding the government denies it a full zoo licence, has more than 130,000 signatures so far. Sign it at worldanimalprotection.org.