If you want to see tigers in Thailand, you need to be careful about which facilities are humane. You don’t want Carole Baskin to come after you, do you?
After searching through websites, blog posts, and first hand accounts from volunteers that worked at the facility, I found the Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai.
Is Tiger Kingdom Humane?
The Tiger Kingdom facilities are constantly plagued by doubt and accusations of drugging and abuse. But are these accusations true?
In my experience at the Chiang Mai facility in the summer of 2017, I found these accusations to be erroneous. The cats are very well taken care of and the center is used as a way to educate tourists about tigers and how their numbers are slowly dwindling due to loss of habitat.
Don’t believe me? I don’t blame you. For more information from an American who worked in the facilities, click here – The Truth about Tiger Kingdom. This is a first hand experience of someone who volunteered for two different years at Tiger Kingdom. She has more information about their health and the future plans for Tiger Kingdom.
As I was only a visitor, you may not take my word for it, but if you look at first hand accounts of volunteers at the sanctuary, they will tell you that these cats are not drugged. It would be inhumane and actually dangerous to drug them, dangerous both to tourists and to the tigers.
But how are they so friendly then? Well, I would say less friendly and more tolerant, at least to tourists. However, with their handlers, some of the tigers are downright cuddly.
The tigers are raised by hand from the day they are born. Through research I learned that captive tiger moms have a harder time raising their young, sometimes having no interest in them and leaving them to survive by themselves. This is why the cubs are usually separated from their mothers. As a result, this close proximity to the trainers and people means that growing up, they are more tolerant of people and will allow them to be around and touch them.
Tiger Rules
Although cuddly looking, they are still wild animals. There are strict rules when entering their habitats.
- When the tigers are sleepy and lazy, they are easier to access.
- When they are playful, you must let them do what they want. Sometimes the trainers will use giant bamboo poles with objects tied at the end to play with the cats. The poles are never used to hit or poke the tigers, only for playing.
- The trainers will never make them do anything, and instruct you to never get in a tiger’s path and to never be near its face.
- When they are laying down, you can pat them put not pet them. Tigers like strong pats instead of tentative stroking, because it puts them on edge.
The rules above go for both the older tigers and the cubs.
With the cubs, you must let them do what they want, but they’re going to want to play with you and nip at your clothes. This is why shirts are provided to put over your clothes. The cubs are adorable and most of the time spent with them will be squealing over their cuteness while they play with toys.
The Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai Experience
There are different kinds of tigers available to see, as well as lions.
When I was there, we were able to see a baby white tiger, a teenage lion, and a giant tiger. Everyone had to be 18 years or older and some animals had height restrictions.
Each experience will cost a different amount of money, and there will be picture packages included in the prices. You’re also welcome to use your phone and take as many photos as you want, but the trainers usually take nicer ones because they know the tigers better.
My advice? – See a baby tiger and a giant tiger and get a package that includes photos.
I highly recommend the Tiger Kingdom, the trainers love their tigers and treat them with utmost respect. But I understand how it’s hard to take my advice when I don’t have first hand experience of what happens behind the scenes. If you’re worried, do some research like I did. There are other first hand accounts of the handlers and scientists who work at the facilities.
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Any questions? Contact me or comment below!