40 dead tiger cubs found in Thai temple freezer

Thai wildlife authorities found40 tiger cub carcasses in a freezer in Thailand's infamous TigerTemple on Wednesday as they removed live animals in response tointernational pressure over suspected trafficking and abuse.

The Buddhist temple in Kanchanaburi province west of Bangkokhad become a tourist destination where visitors snapped selfieswith bottle-fed cubs.

But the temple has been investigated for suspected links towildlife trafficking and abuse. A raid that began on Monday isthe latest move in a tug-of-war since 2001 to bring the tigersunder state control.

• PHOTOS| Tigers seized from Thai temple in wildlife trafficking bust

Tiger parts are used in traditional Chinese medicine.

The 40 dead tiger cubs were found in a freezer in a kitchenarea, said Adisorn Nuchdamrong, deputy director-general of theDepartment of National Parks.

"Foreign volunteers at the temple today told us about it andshowed us the freezer. Perhaps they felt what the temple isdoing isn't right," Adisorn said.

"They must be of some value for the temple to keep them," hesaid. "But for what is beyond me."

Hub for trafficking

Officials wearing protective masks displayed the bodies ofthe cubs to media at the temple. Also on display was the body ofa binturong, a protected species commonly known as a bearcat,which the authorities found with the cub carcasses.

The temple said in a comment on its Facebook page thatwildlife authorities had already been aware that the carcasseswere in the freezer. The carcasses of cubs that had died hadbeen kept, rather than cremated, since 2010 on the instructionsof a former vet, it said.

Adisorn told Reuters the department had not previously knownabout the cubs.

"The temple has notified us when grown tigers die, but neverthe cubs," he said.

Officials have moved 61 live tigers from the temple sinceMonday, Adisorn said, leaving 76 still there.

Thailand has long been a hub for the illicit trafficking ofwildlife and forest products, including ivory. Exotic birds,mammals and reptiles, some of them endangered species, can oftenbe found on sale in markets.

"It's clear that the welfare of the tigers is not a priorityand their lives are full of abuse and commercial exploitationfor the entertainment of tourists," said Jan Schmidt,Asia-Pacific Wildlife Adviser at World Animal Protection, in astatement.