Thailand’s “Tiger Temple” is facing criminal charges after the bodies of 40 tiger cubs were found in a freezer at it’s premises on Monday, Wildlife authorities have said.
The cubs were found on Monday in a freezer at the Thai Buddhist temple in the western province of Kanchanaburi, which has been accused of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse.
Wildlife authorities say they will press charges against a Buddhist temple where 40 dead tiger cubs were found. https://t.co/MceT1JL528
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) June 2, 2016
“We found 40 tiger cubs today, they were aged about one or two days when they died but we don’t quite know yet how long they have been dead,” police colonel, Bandith Meungsukhum told AFP.
In addition to finding the dead tiger cubs, a search of several monks quarters has uncovered more animal body parts, including two full-body tiger skins, around 10 fangs and dozens of smaller pieces of tiger fur, Adisorn Noochdumrong, the deputy director of Thailand’s parks department, told AFP.
“Today we found tigers skins and amulets in a car which was trying to leave a temple,” Noochdumrong said.
Thai tiger temple monk caught fleeing with skins, fangs https://t.co/HYk27QaVAG pic.twitter.com/4vaAvVrPu6
— FRANCE 24 (@FRANCE24) June 2, 2016
According to officials, 84 tigers have so far been removed from the temple this week and are in the process of being re-homed at nearby breeding centers.
