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A starving tiger who was reduced to skin and bones is among 53 big cats who will “feel grass on their paws for the first time” after being rescued from a Thai breeding farm.
Emaciated tigress Salamas was found struggling to stand or walk after losing so much weight inside a cage in a run-down facility in Mukdahan, northern Thailand.
Heartbreaking images show Salamas with patches of hair missing from her skeletal frame as she lies exhausted and emaciated on the dirty cement.
Salamas is among 53 tigers and leopards who were rescued from the breeding farm that is facing bankruptcy and prosecution for alleged illegal wildlife trade by veterinarians and experts from the Friends of Wildlife Foundation of Thailand ( WFFT).
The big cats, who have spent their lives in captivity, will now enjoy “sunlight and grass for the first time” in a sprawling forest sanctuary about 550 miles away in the south of the country.
Heartbreaking images show Salamas with patches of hair missing from her skeletal frame as she lies exhausted and emaciated on the dirty cement.
Emaciated tigress Salamas was found struggling to stand or walk after losing so much weight inside a cage in a run-down facility in Mukdahan, northern Thailand.
Heartbreaking images show Salamas with patches of hair missing from her skeletal structure
Salamas is among 53 tigers and leopards who were rescued from the breeding farm facing bankruptcy and prosecution for alleged illegal wildlife trade by veterinarians and experts from the Friends of Wildlife Foundation of Thailand (WFFT). .
The big cats, who have spent their lives in captivity, will now enjoy “sunlight and grass for the first time” in a sprawling forest sanctuary about 550 miles away in the south of the country.
When the experts found Salamas, she was so weak that she could barely walk and they made the decision not to tranquilize her for fear that she would not wake up from sedation due to her delicate state of health.
With patches of hair missing from her skeletal structure, Salamas finally mustered enough energy to stumble into a transport cage that was waiting for her after being coaxed into it with food.
WFFT founder Edwin Wiek said: “It was feared that he was too weak to walk, but he finally gathered his strength and stumbled towards the cage.”
‘They were then able to take her to the specialist wildlife ambulance which made the twelve hour overnight journey to the wildlife rescue sanctuary.
“Although she is alarmingly thin and missing huge patches of hair all over her body, rescuers are hopeful that Salamas will begin to recover.”
The other animals rescued included a shy tigress named ‘A-1’ and a 20-year-old male tiger named ‘Rambo’, who was suffering from respiratory problems.
The animals were confined in narrow, dirty enclosures throughout their lives.
Officials said 35 tigers and 18 leopards in total will be rescued from the farm, with the first 15 chosen based on urgent medical needs.
Twelve elderly tigers and three sick leopards were the first to be saved. They were sedated and underwent health checks before being loaded into cages into wildlife ambulances.
The rest (another 23 tigers and 15 leopards) will be eliminated in the coming days.
Emaciated tigress Salamas was found struggling to stand or walk after losing so much weight inside a cage in a run-down facility in Mukdahan, northern Thailand.
Veterinarian tranquilizes tiger in run-down facility in Thailand
Veterinarians and wildlife experts remove sedated tiger from its cage
Veterinarians and wildlife experts remove sedated tiger from its cage
Officials said 35 tigers and 18 leopards in total will be rescued from the farm, with the first 15 chosen based on urgent medical needs.
Wildlife experts carry a tiger in a cage before loading it onto a truck bound for the wildlife sanctuary.
Wildlife experts load a tiger onto a truck bound for the wildlife sanctuary
Wiek said: ‘This was an incredible rescue. It is the largest NGO in Thailand. Tigers, leopards and other animals will finally see freedom for the first time in their lives.
‘They will experience direct sunlight and the feel of grass on their feet. They will have the freedom that every animal deserves.’
The sanctuary, located in the southern province of Phetchaburi, is a dedicated Tiger Rescue Center spread over over seventeen acres of near-natural habitat.
Edwin Wiek added: “After months of planning the largest NGO tiger rescue in Thai history, we are delighted to finally be able to give these magnificent animals a new life at the WFFT Tiger Rescue Centre.”
‘Sadly, they will never be able to return to the wild, but we can offer them the best option: a safe sanctuary home where they can roam through forested lands, socialize with other tigers and even swim in the lake.
‘We thank the Thai government’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNP) for taking action against the illegal wildlife trade and for collaborating with WFFT to help give these tigers the second chance they deserve.
‘The first twelve tigers and three leopards have been rescued, but there are many more that remain at the farm waiting to be saved.
“We are desperate to return as soon as possible to rescue them, but as an NGO with no government funding we rely solely on donations to make these rescue missions a reality.”
The big cats, who have spent their lives in captivity, will now enjoy “sunlight and grass for the first time” in a sprawling forest sanctuary about 550 miles away in the south of the country.
Officials said 35 tigers and 18 leopards in total will be rescued from the farm, with the first 15 chosen based on urgent medical needs.
Officials said 35 tigers and 18 leopards in total will be rescued from the farm, with the first 15 chosen based on urgent medical needs.
The famous tiger farm has been the subject of protracted legal disputes with government wildlife officials.
Local media have reported that the facility has faced numerous government inspections, including one in 2020 when the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) found evidence of alleged illegal wildlife trafficking, such as a severed tiger head. and other tiger parts.
The farm is located in northern Thailand, near the border with communist Laos. The area, situated on the banks of the Mekong River with multiple unofficial docks, is believed to be a hub for illegal wildlife transportation.
WFFT said there are an estimated 1,700 captive tigers in Thailand.
It is said that many of them are bred in tiger farms to be bred and sent to neighboring countries as exotic pets. Its body parts, including eyes, bones and whiskers, are also used in controversial traditional Chinese medicine.