Chaos, Questions Surround Temple as Tigers Seized
This week the 137 tigers are being removed from Thailand’s Tiger Temple. But it may be possible for the monastery to buy some back.
Thailand's controversial Tiger Temple is losing its tigers.
The monastery and popular tourist attraction, the focus of allegations of animal abuse and trafficking for 15 years, was raided this week by authorities who planned to remove all 137 tigers held at the temple, three hours northwest of Bangkok.
The tiger attraction gained worldwide attention as a place where visitors could pet, feed, bathe, and walk the cats around on leashes, snapping selfies along the way. It has been a gold mine to the monastery, which is formally known as Wat Pa Luangta Bua Yannasampanno, bringing in an estimated three million dollars a year.
But conservation organizations and former temple workers have long accused the temple's monks of keeping the cats in
