WNAM MONITORING: More than 70 tigers died “mysteriously” this month at a tourist attraction tiger park in northern Thailand, according to a report by the Bangkok Post on Friday.
At the privately run Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai park, a two-week closure was initiated following the deaths, and an investigation has also been launched.
Provincial livestock officials said the facility has banned all unauthorized entry and begun facility-wide disinfection while laboratory tests are conducted on tiger carcasses.
The deaths reportedly began on Feb. 8. Initial assumptions have focused on raw chicken used as feed.
However, authorities said that the exact cause is yet to be confirmed.
Surviving tigers have been moved to the park’s care center in Mae Taeng district, in the northern part of Chiang Mai province, for close monitoring.
According to Kritsayarm Kongsatri, director of the Protected Areas Regional Office, the loss of so many animals over such a short period is “very unusual.”
