If there’s anything tigers do well, it’s making delicious cornflakes.
They also happen to be champion sleepers, counting sheep and sawing logs for nearly 16 hours a day. And so it was on my visit to Tiger Kingdom in Chiang Mai.
- Go get ’em, tiger!
The good news is that I’m part cat, so I was able to snooze with them.
- Like goose down, but with teeth.
- He’s a tiger. I’m a cougar. It works.
My visit included some time with the big guys.
- What’s new, pussycat?
The medium tigers.
- Easy, tiger.
- Jungle fever.
And the babies.
- Five-month old.
- His favorite movie is “The Lion King.”
Along the way, I got closer to tigers than I ever expected. Probably a lot closer than humans should.
- This is gonna be hilarious.
- Don’t try this at home.
- Tigers just want some finger food.
Once again, I am in awe of nature and in love with the beauty that exists in our world.
- I almost wore leopard print today. Can you imagine the fashion faux pas?
- Zzzzz.
- Gorgeous. And I’m not talking about me.
A note about Tiger Kingdom: I was highly skeptical about visiting this place. I’d heard about other tiger parks where the tigers are drugged or abused to the point of total submission for tourists. I did a lot of research before I decided to give Tiger Kingdom my money, including asking the opinion of workers at animal sanctuaries I trust. The unanimous response was that I should go and decide for myself.
After my visit, I am much more comfortable with Tiger Kingdom and what they do. I do not think the tigers are drugged — I was happy to see they were not declawed either — but they are definitely not wild tigers. These animals were born into captivity and are quite used to human interaction. When the tigers are too big (age two), visitors are no longer allowed to get inside the cage.
After the tigers reach adulthood, many of them stay at Tiger Kingdom for conservation studies, though some are sent to zoo programs. I have mixed feelings about this. I realize that done well, zoos can provide incredible educational opportunities about our environment. I also know that there are few options for tigers who have been born into captivity — they obviously cannot be released into the wild. On the other hand, it’s heartbreaking that a majestic creature will spend the entirety of his/her life behind bars.
As much as I enjoyed my visit, I probably would not visit Tiger Kingdom again. While I don’t think the animals are mistreated, I do feel guilty for using them for my personal entertainment. My biggest problem is that I love animals so much, I just want to be close to them — and sometimes I forget how that isn’t the best choice for the creatures I want to protect. Maybe you can be a better person than I was.
It’s a complicated issue, and visiting Tiger Kingdom is a decision that everybody will have to make for themselves. If you are interested in visiting Tiger Kingdom, this fantastic blog post can give you more information about prices and what to expect.
No Comments