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| Tigers at play in the pond |
In a previous post, I discussed the first trip to the Tiger Temple in Thailand with the family. In this second trip, I was alone. Again I must stress my extreme disappointment when I heard that there had been some serious irregularities with the Tiger Temple and that all of the tigers had been confiscated. This was really a very special place. Anyway, on the second trip, I did the much more expensive option which was called "Breakfast with the monks". After a very early start from Bangkok, the very small group of tourists (I think they only took a maximum of 10 tourists) arrived at the Tiger Temple in time for the monks to come and collect their breakfast. While they were eating their breakfast, we could spend time with the tiger cubs and feed them their milk. Really great.
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| Cute tiger cub |
Amazing animals. The size of the paws of the cubs. They were not quite sure how their very sharp claws worked yet, so there were quite a few accidental scratches. After spending some time with the cubs, it was time to move the larger cubs back to their cages again. A leash was put on the tigers and we took them for a walk! They pretty much did their own thing and we (the people holding onto the leash) had to follow!
Then it was time to bath (yes - bath) the adult tigers and to feed them as well. So how do you bath a tiger? Well the tiger was sitting quietly and with a hose pipe and a bucket of soapy water, you wash the back of the tiger. The tigers really seemed to enjoy it. Then it was feeding time! While they were sitting quietly, you hand feed (yes
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| Bathing a tiger |
HAND FEED) them cooked chickens. For someone who is in love with tigers, this was really an experience of a life time. These were fully grown adult tigers. In fact these were the same tigers which go down to the pond I spoke about in the first post where the afternoon throng of tourists can go up behind them and gently pat them! Here I was giving these same tigers a bath and hand feeding them. Yes - I did manage to keep all of my fingers.
The fun was not over yet! Now we moved into a large enclosure and we were each given a long stick with some plastic bags tired to the end. Apparently, this was the favourite toy of the sub-adult tigers. Even the adult tigers still enjoy the bag on the end of a stick game! We were all told to stand around a small pond of water. There were about 3 Thai handlers and other volunteers per tourist (watching our backs!). Once everyone was in position, they opened the gate to the enclosure. Out flew 8 sub-adult tigers, fully intent to play their hearts out. A sub-adult
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| Play time with sub adults |
tiger is a bloody big tiger! About the same size as a very large dog, with very sharp claws and very big teeth. Here we stand and the tigers are running around us like maniacs! The plastic bags on the stick were indeed their very big favourite. They just loved jumping up to catch the bags. The tails of the other tigers were also very nice play things, except the owner of the tail did not really like his or her tail getting bitten! It was a surreal experience standing around while 8 very large tigers were running around you. You could now see why there were three locals for each tourist.
They seriously needed to watch your back. You are busy playing with the bag with the tiger in front of you while the one at the back also wants a turn. Only problem, you are in the way! Amazing!
The show was still not over! It was now moving closer to the afternoon tourist rush, so we needed to get the really big adult tigers down to the show spot. How do you do that - well, you put a lead on
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| Take your tiger for a walk |
your tiger and just walk down to where you want to go! We were walking the really big male tiger (the one who has to put his head in the people's lap). He was a really BIG boy. They told us that if he wants to run off, do not try to hold him back. Yes really - I am going to be able to hold back and animal which probably (no definately) weighed more than me!
When we arrived at the pond, we were put into a small enclosure and the tigers had some play time in and around the pond. How do big adult tigers play? "Play fighting" was the order of the day. Every now and then, a claw would accidentally come out and the recipient of the scratch was not very happy and the fighting was not so much play play anymore. The local Thai handlers seemed to be able to get control of the tigers. What an amazing experience, adult tigers playing in the water about 4 meters from you! I got some really good photos!
Another favorite of theirs was jumping off the rocks into the water. Just like kids! They would literally climb up to the top of the rocks and then leap into the water. So much for cats not liking water. These very big cats love water!
Still not finished. As the tigers were settling down for the throng of tourists which were about to arrive, the big tiger did the lap thing for the small group of tourists. When it was my turn, I was sitting there with the massive tiger's head in my lap. Then there was a fly! I could see that the tiger was not very happy with the fly. Do I make a sudden move and try and swot the fly - which would probably upset the tiger, or just sit there? That was the question!. I think the fly was really bothering the tiger, because the next thing he turned and growled at the fly.
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| Get that fly! |
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| Tiger being hunted by the tiger at the back. |
The growling face of the tiger ended up a few centimetres from my face. Boy, I nearly needed a fresh pair of undies! All in all a really great experience.
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| The leap into the pool |
After writing this I am even more upset that this amazing place was closed down and I cannot believe the monks in charge could be so corrupted by money that they would harm these amazing animals which had such a unique bond with the monks. Very upsetting!
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| Fight time - play time |
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| Hand feeding one of the adult tigers |
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