Thailand Tiger Temple: Monks Live With Tigers (PHOTOS)

Deep in the heart of Western Thailand, where the River Kwai weaves through the rich green jungle, the monks of the Wat Pa Luang Ta Bua Temple are beginning their day.

They walk through the town and collect alms from the locals. But back at the temple for breakfast and prayers, it's clear that this Buddhist monastery is like no other, for this handful of monks live with some of the deadliest animals in the world.

They call it the Tiger Temple, and its story is the stuff of fairy tales. According to Abbot Pra-Acharn Phusit, a tiger cub orphaned by poachers was brought to the temple years ago.

The abbot cared for her and, as word spread, more people brought sickly and orphaned cubs to the temple's doorstep. Those cubs went on to have their own cubs, and nine years on there are now 34 tigers living here.

Keep reading here.

-OR-

Check photos from the 'tiger temple' below.

Comments

[The Lorax]

AWESOME!!!

[ruddie]

I wonder how they taste..

[operalovr]

This says a lot about the animal kingdom, and also the nature of the Buddhist Monks. It is a microcosm of how the world COULD be, if we only embrace all sentient beings, love them, and stop exploiting them. How I envy these monks.

[The Lorax]

Wow, beautifully said. Your post made me smile big! :D

[The Lorax]

I went back and read some of your other posts and I must say... I am now a fan!

[JaneTelford]

With regards to the notorious Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand:
Following repeated complaints from tourists and volunteers working at the temple about tigers being shockingly mistreated there, Care for the Wild International (CWI) undertook an intensive two year investigation. The resulting CWI report reveals illegal wildlife trade, animal cruelty, false conservation claims and visitor safety risks at the Temple.

You can read the report at: http://www.careforthewild.com/projects.asp?detail=true&I_ID=580&mypage=Reports

You can view the letter sent by the International Tiger Coalition to the Thai authorities protesting about the Tiger Temple here:

http://www.careforthewild.com/files/itc_letter_oct_08.pdf

This issue has widespread media coverage:

CWI's press release - "Illegal tiger trade, cruelty and human health hazards at famous tourist destination":
http://www.careforthewild.com/files/tt_news_release%2020-06-08.pdf

"Black market tigers linked to Thai Temple, Reports says"
National Geographic News, 20 June 2008:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/06/080620-tiger-temple.html

[Vieux Charles]

Tigers are probably the most efficient and powerful land predators on Earth. They are not pets. Those that choose to comingle with them put their lives at extreme risk - as the lives and deaths of Joy Holiday and Chuck Lizza testify.

All, check out 'Cat Dancers' on HBO if you can. It is a wonderful and tragic documentary.

[Bright Creature]

That's not the point of the article. We all know that,

These tigers have been living peacefully with these monks for years because the monks are temperamentally suited to living with them by way of their training.

If you asked them i would be that they do not refer to them "as pets" either.

[landoffools]

tre See Profile I'm a Fan of tre I'm a fan of this user permalink
I'm sure glad I'm a Christian, not a buddhist.

----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­----------­---
Drink the KoolAid !!!

There you go !

Feel better already !

[timmuh]

I wish the Huffington Post could have looked into the copious amounts of online criticisms of this place before giving it this type of positive exposure. I have been living down the road from the temple in Kanchanaburi for many years and have been there a number of times when i was less informed about the place, but never again.

Over the years (many years) there has been talk of building an open sanctuary for the tigers, or at least this has been the spiel offered when the monks solicit funds. Despite all these years, when visiting the temple, you can see there has been absolutely no work carried out to this effect. Instead the tigers spend their days locked in small cages, not much bigger than they themselves are. I’ve seen other tigers in captivity too, and these ones, at least through my untrained eyes, seem to have gone insane as the circle their cages in a state of delirium; a truly sorry and disgusting sight.

A year back I met a 70-year-old retired backpacker/vet who confirmed my suspicions. He was disgusted stating that he had never seen such an open disregard for the welfare of caged animals. Who was I to argue?

There was also some bad press a year or so ago accusing the monks of robbing infant cubs from the wild. Although I am unsure of the validity of this final claim, it’s better that tourist dollars do not support such places.

[enjen]

Just FYI, this isn't a HuffPo story. The link is to an ABC News story, which does cover both sides of the issue. HP should have made that clearer in the headline, but ABC News doesn't either.

[Bright Creature]

phew! just goes to show there's always another story, beneath the view.

[Caliburjinx]

It must be sad for the tigers when they realize their favorite humans can't come back to life after being mauled...opps.

[everythingspolitical]

I just looove cats--big and small--and can't get enough of these adorable photos!!!!!!!

[sauceruney]

They eat Sambo's pancakes together. That's why.

[kittyarmy]

Oooh...I want tiger friends!

[Flagrantlover]

Perfect example of E.F.A. - EQUALITY FOR ALL!

See COMING SOON for more info: http://www.comingsoon.cz!

[boretide]

I went to the temple last year and was disappointed. The tigers appeared drugged and the whole place had a carnival-type feel what with the photo sessions with the nearly comatose animals. It's no different than the Phuket Zoo, where you can sit and get your photo taken with a tiger and maybe even hold a tiger cub.

The place is becoming another tourist trap. Another sign that Thailand is becoming more commercial and crass with each passing year. I long for what it was like when I started going there in the late 1980s.

[curiousasheck]

It's all in the eye of the beholder they say. You didn't manage to summon one atom of a positive nature from this experience?

That's not good

[Bright Creature]

I lived in Thailand for about 6 months in 1997 and enjoyed myself very much. It is becoming developed, however, and a nation doesn't develop without growing pains. The USA was no different

[curiousasheck]

Go to their web site so you can stufy something other then fear, terror, and corruption for Christ sakes.

Yes the Monks have their act together. Who'd a thunk it!

http://www.tigertemple.org/Eng/index.php

[curiousasheck]

I meant "study" sorry for the blip

[tre]

I'm sure glad I'm a Christian, not a buddhist.

[YouThinkAndTalk]

You are very narrow minded.

But I am sure you will make sure that no gays or lesbians ever get married.

It is a sorry fact, but with the concerted efforts of all the Christian churches, Christianity has been totally trivialized.

[robtastic]

really? I would think it should be the other way around

[curiousasheck]

Why? because the name sounds funny?

[evildoer]

I'm sure glad I'm a Buddhist, not a Christian.

[ConfuciusSay-]

Consider the pictures of the tigers peacefully standing with the monks.
Contemplate the christian Palin shooting wolves from a plane.

Which is the superior path?

[everythingspolitical]

Amen.

Most Christians, especially the social conservatives, are so backwards and self-centered. They have no regard for animals, hence, the endangered species list, the environment, poverty, etc., you name it. They can learn a lot about love, peace, and harmony, by studying these photos.

[OrganOfThought]

the cats are drugged

[KatDawgATL]

Does that one monk have on a pair of Dolce shades?

[WhirledTraveler]

I've been there - I LOVE Thailand and the Thai people.

However, it appeared to me that the tigers were drugged - to make them more docile - and that bothered me tremendously. I hope I am wrong...

[LardGreystoke]

TIgers are likely to attack for two reasons: 1) hunger, 2) fear.

As regards 1), tigers spend over a year learning prey and habitat from their mothers. These tigers are learning that humans are not prey. Although they have the physical ability to demolish a human, they have simply never been taught how (sort of like human prejudice).

As regards 2), it takes a good deal to spook a tiger. But it can be done, and here the monks have some things going for them. The typical Buddhist monk is pretty non-threatening. Since the monks are all adults, all men, and all wear the same costume, the non-threatening behavior of one monk reinforces the non-threatening image of other monks. If an attack were to take place, it would likely involve a) a woman, b) a Westerner or anyone wearing a different costume, or most likely c) a child. Children are smaller and move more quickly than adult humans, and thus more likely to awaken the dormant predator instinct.

Apart from the random psychopath in either the tiger or human population, I would expect coexistence to be pretty stable in this environment.

[jbeach]

Very informative, thanks.

[metropixie]

Your post draws attention to the fact that most just spew forth nonsense and few have anything worthy to contribute. Thank you for your educative rationale.

[Vickster]

A tiger could injure a person with a playful swat. And how a person reacts to that injury could cause the situation to escalate

[Nooneyouknow]

I'm sure Siegfried and Roy will be grateful for your expert advice.

[OrganOfThought]

there is no way those cats are not drugged.

they don't just look "peaceful", they lack energy and physical activity. they barely do anything and don't move like cats do.

and no matter how amazing the budhists are, at least one cat by now would have had an incident of killing someone. one swipe from a tiger's paw is enough to end a human life.