Thai authorities in the northern city of Chiang Mai are investigating the deaths of 72 tigers due to canine distemper virus. In addition to the virus, samples from the tigers’ carcasses tested positive for bacteria associated with respiratory diseases, according to the provincial livestock bureau.
Between 8 and 19 February, 51 big cats died at Tiger Kingdom Mae Taeng and another 21 at Tiger Kingdom Mae Rim, popular entertainment parks where tourists can interact with tigers up close. All of the tigers’ remains were buried, while seriously ill animals were euthanised. The big cats were among more than 240 tigers living across the two facilities.
During a press conference on Tuesday, officials reassured residents and visitors that the virus was no longer spreading and that no humans had been infected.
Animal rights groups say the case highlights the poor living conditions of captive tigers used for entertainment in Thailand. The Wildlife Friends Foundation of Thailand said in a statement that the tigers’ deaths exposed the “extreme vulnerability of captive wildlife facilities to infectious disease.” “Tragedies like this would be far less likely to happen” if tourists “stayed away” from these attractions, Peta Asia said in a statement.
The local livestock department reported samples from the tigers tested positive for canine distemper virus. The Department of Disease Control said over the weekend that although none of the veterinarians or other staff working at the Chiang Mai tiger enclosures had contracted canine distemper, they had been placed under observation for 21 days.
Local officials initially suspected the outbreak was caused by contaminated raw chicken meat fed to the tigers as raw chicken was also suspected as the cause of a major outbreak of bird flu at a tiger zoo in Chonburi province in 2004. In that case, nearly 150 tigers died or were euthanised to prevent the flu from spreading further.
