Chachoengsao—
On May 17th, 2024, Mr. Atthaphon Charoenchansa, the director-general of the Thai National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation Department, issued an order to relevant agencies to investigate the case of a tiger cub on the loose in Bang Pakong, Chachoengsao.
According to Atthaphon, National Park officers were dispatched to a farm as previously an owner of the cub declared the ownership of the cub after it went on the loose and was spotted by Bang Wua locals on May 16th.
The owner, whose name was withheld by the officers, publicly revealed that the cub was a liger, a hybrid offspring of a tiger and a lion. The liger cub was allegedly painted as a tiger for film production in Chachoengsao, according to Atthaphon.
However, the National Park officers were not convinced and remarked that it was indeed a tiger cub. In response to the incident, relevant agencies investigated the cub and it was found that there was no microchip implant or legal documentation to prove its identity, said Atthaphon.
As a result, the National Park officers had to conduct a further investigation which led to possibly seizing, and prosecuting legal action against the owner. The said cub was in the process of being sent to National Park officers, said Atthaphon.
The owner claimed that the cub was a liger instead of admitting it was a tiger because the owner was afraid of legal action. The farm was registered and held legal permission to have tigers, however, the National Park officers would investigate all the animals on the farm to see whether they were legally permitted or not.
Atthaphon said that tigers and lions, controlled animals, are under a CITES list that must be supervised by the National Park Department regarding importing, exporting, nurturing, and relocating them.
However, ligers were not on the CITES list as they were not controlled animals. Atthaphon reportedly issued an order to relevant agencies to study information on legal matters and open opinions for all sectors around adding ligers to the list. Regardless, the animal in question in this case was a tiger.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.