The Temple of TigersIn 1999 the inhabiatants of a little

village in the province of Kanchanaburi, Thailand, found in the forest two injured

baby tigers whose parents had been killed by poachers

Cliquez.

Not knowing what to do with them, they took them to the Bhuddist temple Wat Pha Luang where they were housed and cared for by the

monksThe temple tigers wake to see the day

Since then, many orphaned baby tigers have been taken there and raised by the

monks

The tigers are tame and used to eating only cooked meat in order to avoid them developing a taste for blood They are treated like members of the temple family

Phra Acham Phusit

(Founder of the Tiger Temple)

It is a communal place considered a

sanctuary for animals and preservation

centre

The temple is open to tourists

 The employees keep the tigers under control and are ready to intervene if they become

agitated 

 The visitors are invited to leave a donation if they wish to be photgraphed with the tigers

It is the only place in the world where it is possible to pat free tigers

JM - 27 Août 2008