The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) will administer an anaesthetic drug to the remaining five tigers at Wat Pa Luangta Maha Bua in Kanchanaburi's Sai Yok district to inspect their implanted microchips, Somsak Phupetch, the DNP's director, said yesterday.
The DNP and veterinarians from Mahidol University have already inspected 142 of the 147 tigers at the temple and confirmed they were raised there, Mr Somsak said. However, they have yet to check another five tigers that were not tame enough for officials to inspect safely. Mr Somsak said officials will anaesthetise them this week.
Of the 142 tigers inspected so far, officials found 127 tigers had microchips implanted in them. Fifteen tigers — eight cubs and seven adult tigers — carried no chips. Despite that, officials were satisfied they were raised at the temple. Meanwhile, Saiyud Pengboonchu, lawyer for the temple foundation, argues the five tigers should be spared the anesthetic, as their health could be put at risk. He said two or three of the tigers were aged over 10 years and considered old. He suggested officials take photos of the tigers and note their distinctive marks instead.
The microchip inspections have been conducted to verify that the tigers kept at the temple were the same ones as those microchipped in 2001. The move follows reports three tigers have gone missing and may have been illegally sold.
