This story appears in the June 2019 issue of National Geographic magazine.
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Suffering unseen: The dark truth behind wildlife tourism
Captive wild animal encounters are hugely popular, thanks partly to social media. But our investigation shows many creatures lead dismal lives.
For $10, tourists can pose with this tiger at Phuket Zoo, in Thailand. Examples of souvenir photos are displayed here on a poster board. The tiger is held by a short chain and can’t stand up. Tigers may be declawed, or even drugged, to protect people around them.
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