Wildlife tourism is not new, and makes up a lucrative segment of the booming global travel industry, estimated to have contributed to USD$120.1 billion in gross domestic product to the global economy in 2018. The introduction of social media into our day to day lives has completely transformed the industry, turning encounters with exotic animals once only seen in books, into the “must have” souvenir from any trip abroad and shared with the world through the tap of their phone. However, what these social media posts are unable to show is the truth behind the camera lens, and the pain and suffering these animals face on a daily basis to satisfy the tourist demands.

Tiger entertainment venues have recently been cast into the viral spotlight by the now infamous “Tiger King” on Netflix. The series focuses on the small but deeply interconnected society of big cat enthusiasts, collectors and conservationists in America, and the private zoos and sanctuaries they have set up for these animals. Yet, tiger attractions have just a high demand in Asia, with many subspecies of tigers calling this part of the world home. Thailand has become a hotspot for tiger tourism, with entertainment venues still widely promoted by travel companies and other travel websites.

Tiger 101

Tigers are the largest members of the cat family. Of the original nine subspecies of tiger, three have become extinct in the last 80 years. The six-remaining subspecies of tigers are the Indo-Chinese, Bengal, Amur (Siberian), Sumatran, South China and Malayan. The Bengal tiger accounts for the majority of today’s existing tiger population. Four of the remaining subspecies are classified “endangered” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), while the remaining two classified as “critically” endangered. It is sadly predicted that all tigers may become extinct in the wild within the next decade.

After a century of decline, overall wild tiger numbers have fortunately started to move in an upward trend. Tiger populations are stable or increasing in India, Nepal, Bhutan, Russia and China, with an estimated 3,000 – 3,600 tigers remaining in the wild. However, latest figures estimate that there are still as many as 8,000 tigers held in captive facilities across Asia. Some of these are licensed by national governments and are open to the public, marketed as zoos, conservation centres and of course, tourism entertainment venues. 

Tiger Tourism

Many tiger entertainment venues claim their profits support tiger conservation, but in truth, this is rarely the case. The vast majority operate purely for commercial profit and actually threaten the survival of wild tigers by stimulating demand for tigers and tiger body parts in captivity.

Tiger cubs are often separated from their mothers just two to three weeks after birth. In the wild, although tiger cubs are weaned from their mothers by six months of age, it is only when they are 18 months of age that they are actually equipped to hunt for themselves. Prior to that age, they are still very much dependent on the prey their mother procures for them. Removing cubs at a young age also allows the female to start breeding again sooner, likely leading to one litter per year. Hundreds of times a day, these young tiger cubs are mishandled by tourists which unfortunately lead to stress and injury. Like elephants, tigers are conditioned by using pain and fear to stop aggressive and unwanted behaviour. 

Tigers are generally solitary creatures and in the wild, with individual tigers having a 5 – 60 mile territory to roam. However in captivity, most tigers are housed in small concrete cages or barren enclosures with limited access to fresh water. Often the cages housing these felines are less than 20 square metres per animal, and adult tigers are chained to concrete platforms for lengthy periods at a time.

As with any animal, placement in unfamiliar and hostile surroundings exacerbates stresses, which tends to manifest in tigers as negative outward behaviour. Tigers have been seen to be pacing repetitively, biting their tails and losing their fur. These are obvious outward signs of zoochosis, which only cause further and unnecessary harm to the tigers. Captive tigers are constant victims of irresponsible wildlife tourism. Their suffering is only aggravated when made to come in contact with tourists, forced to perform or pressured to pose for tourists seeking that perfect holiday selfie for social media.

It is common for tiger entertainment venues to claim that they do not sedate the animals. Often, the explanation for their docile temperament is that they have been well fed prior to any tourist interaction, and that the animals have been raised alongside domesticated dogs and have learned “boundaries”. Despite their protestation, there are still a large number of reviews on social media and other websites, which seem to suggest that the animals have in-fact had some form of sedatives administered. But whether or not tigers are given chemical sedation, it is important to remember that if a tiger entertainment venue allows tourists to hold or hug a wild animal, its well-being has already been compromised.

Poaching and Trade

This exploitation not only spells misery for the captive animals, but also fuels the poaching and trade of endangered wild tigers. Outside of the tourism and animal entertainment industry, many tigers live in captivity due to the demand for big cat farming, including skins for decoration and body parts for used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (“TCM”). Many believe that the protein and calcium in tiger bones have anti-inflammatory effects, and that tiger penises are aphrodisiacs. Practitioners of TCM have even claimed that tiger teeth, skin and eyelashes have their use in treating ailment or improving health. The scientific community has consistently rejected such claims but unfortunately these beliefs are deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and as such, the demand for these products is ever increasing.

In 1993, China put in place a ban on the use of tiger bones from wild animals, yet the use of these products from captive sources has seen a slow and steady growth. In October 2018, the State Council of the People’s Republic of China issued a circular replacing the 1993 ban, opening up exceptions under “special circumstances”, including “medical research”. After receiving a storm of protest from conservation groups over the plan to relax the prohibition, China has postponed the lifting of the ban.

Positive steps forward

There has been some recognition of social media’s role in the problem. In December 2017, Instagram introduced a feature: users who click or search on dozens of hashtags such as #tigerclubselfie, now get a pop up warning stating, “animal abuse and the sale of endangered animals or their parts is not allowed on Instagram. You are searching for a hashtag that may be associated with posts that encourage harmful behaviour to animals or the environment.”

The best advice for tourists wanting to travel around Asia is to do your research into the wildlife attractions that you may want to visit, keeping in mind that if a venue offers direct tourist interaction with captive animals or promotes the animals engaging in unnatural behaviour, then do not visit them. By curbing the income received by these venues, it will hopefully reduce the profitability of these venues and may eventually reduce the risk of tiger exploitation.