Thailand Tiger Temple: Forty dead cubs found in freezer

 

Forty dead tiger cubs have been found in a freezer at a Thai Buddhist temple accused of wildlife trafficking and animal abuse.

Police and wildlife officials started an operation on Monday to remove all the living tigers at the Tiger Temple.
Pictures from journalists at the scene posted to social media showed the 40 cubs lined up on the floor.
The site in Kanchanaburi is a popular tourist attraction but has been closed to the public since the raid.

 

 

In a statement on its Facebook page, the temple said the mortality rate for tiger cubs at the temple was "comparatively low" and that it used to cremate dead cubs but the policy changed in 2010.
The statement did not say why the temple started freezing cubs' remains, and also denied selling cubs.
Body parts from other animals were also found in a freezer, Tom Taylor, from Wildlife Friends Foundation, said.
A reporter from the Khaosod news website said he had seen animal intestines in containers, a dead boar and other animal parts.

 

Dozens of living tigers have already been removed, out of 137 at the temple. The 1,000-strong police operation is due to continue all week.
Some workers and volunteers at the temple spoke out against the operation.