Tourists flock to Thailand's animal shows, to swim with dolphins and to pet tigers. But activists say the animals are often neglected, and accuse some of the institutions of illegal wildlife trading. 
15 AUG 2014

Animal shows draw protests

Tourists flock to Thailand's animal shows, to swim with dolphins and to pet tigers. But activists say the animals are often neglected, and accuse some of the institutions of illegal wildlife trading. 

 
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Animal shows draw protests
A captive leopard pacing behind bars at Pata Zoo, situated on the top floor of a shopping centre in Bangkok. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Tourist Victoria Maltseva from Siberia taking a swim holding onto the fin of an Irrawaddy dolphin, a critically endangered species, in a swim with the dolphins session at Pattaya Dolphin World. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
A confined orangutan at Pata Zoo, situated on the top floor of a shopping centre in Bangkok. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Zoo visitors laugh as they take photos with their mobile phones of an orangutan and baby as they look out from behind bars at Pata Zoo, situated on the top floor of a shopping centre in Bangkok. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Tourists get sprayed with water on command by an Irrawaddy dolphin during a of the critically endangered species at Pattaya Dolphin World. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Tourists take pictures with their mobile phones of Porn, an orangutan, and her baby as they look out from behind bars at Pata Zoo, situated on the top floor of a shopping centre in Bangkok. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Tourist Victoria Maltseva from Siberia leans forward to touch cheeks with an Irrawaddy dolphin, a critically endangered species, at Pattaya Dolphin World.
Animal shows draw protests
Chinese tourists, after paying an additional fee, to pose for pictures holding a young tiger at Sriracha Tiger Zoo near Pattaya. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Baby orangutan Pang Porn playing with the only play thing in her cement cage — a chain — devoid of any natural vegetation, as a woman looks through the bars at Pata Zoo. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
An orangutan new baby called Pang Porn, eight months, rests on her mother Porn's head, at Pata Zoo, situated on the top floor of a shopping centre in Bangkok. (EPA photo)
Animal shows draw protests
Female gorilla Bua Noi (Little Lotus), about 26 years-old, sits behind the bars and glass-surrounded cage at Pata Zoo, situated on the top floor of a shopping centre in Bangkok. (EPA photo)