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Seeing Kanchanaburi through the
Eye of the Tiger
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A
famous and controversial temple explored |
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| Animal-lovers, take note. If you're looking
to see exotic wildlife on your Thailand trip,
there are no shortage of opportunities on the
tourist circuit. But if zoos seem to simulated
and the odds of a jungle-trek encounter seem uncertain
(and dangerous!), a new middle ground exists.
In the growing trend of tourist-friendly wildlife
sanctuaries, visitors can witness Thailand's most
exotic creatures in a safe, unexploitative manner.
Even the tiger, the most dangerous and regal of
Thailand's wildlife, can be observed and admired
in this setting. Kanchanaburi's Wat Wat Pa Luangta
Bua Yannasampanno, widely known as the "tiger
temple," allow tourists to act out their childhood
Jungle Book fantasies by getting up-close and
huggy with a tame pack of Indo-Chinese tigers.
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| This temple was converted into a tiger sanctuary
in 1999, as a home for tigers who have been rescued
from poachers in the jungles west of Kanchanaburi.
Around the Thai-Burmese borders, these beautiful
animals are coveted by hunters, which can leave
orphaned cubs fending for themselves in the jungle.
Managed by a team of monks and volunteers (both
Thai and western), the Tiger temple provides a
protected habitat for these coveted animals. The
Abbot Pra Acharn Phusit Khantitharo, who founded
the sanctuary, is in constant interaction with
the tigers. |
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| The grounds themselves are a dusty 30-minute
drive from downtown Kanchanaburi. With the admission
fee of 300 baht (and a waiver to be signed at
the gate; a standard procedure when tiger-touching
is involved) visitors are led through the wide,
sparse grounds. While visitors may be stumped
in a search for a real temple (the word seems
to be synonymous with "sanctuary" in this case),
there's no shortage of awe-inducing tigers. |
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| The tigers are taken to a quarry each day to
enjoy the sun, stretch their legs, and bathe in
the small pool. It is here that tourists can watch
the tigers interact with each other. Separated
only by a thin rope, volunteer will guide visitors
close to the tigers and invite them to pet the
animals and pose for photos. The presence of the
volunteers is valuable, as tourists can get nervous
in such proximity to the tigers. The temple staff
with explain that the tigers are raised from infancy
by the monks, and so they adapt to the presence
of humans and the daily routine of being approached
by temple visitors. It is true that in this unique
environment, the tigers seem genuinely unfazed
by human company. These nocturnal animals are
restful in the quarry, often sleepy or sleeping,
while the head monk sits with them. The tigers
will often be slow to acknowledge the people around
them, even as they're being approached and touched.
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Tourists are forever in dispute about the tigers'
tame demeanor, which seems so contrary to their natural
instincts. The temple staff will assure visitors over
and over that the tigers are pacified by the calming
influence of the Buddhist monks, instilled in them
since they were cubs. Still, animal-conscious visitors
will argue that the tigers must be sedated by more
than just meditative power, and are in fact fed drugs
which render them sluggish and passive.
Despite these speculations, it is clear from the
temple environment that the animals are well-fed and
healthy. Visitors to the temple receive a souvenir
booklet which profiles each of the 17 tigers and cubs
in the tiger temple family, explaining the animal's
birthday, the origins of its name, and a lovingly-written
description of its personality. The temple staff maintain
the ultimate goal of expanding the temple grounds
and facilities into a 12-acre area where tigers can
live in a safe version of their own habitat, free
from cages. Details of the "New Home for Tigers" project
can be found on the temple's website, http://www.tigertemple.org/Eng/index.php,
a site which also cites quotations from the Abbot
on his compassion and respect for animals.
In addition to tigers, this temple hosts a family
of boars, goats, birds and other creatures. The monks
exercise a policy to feed all hungry beings who approach
them, animal or human. Volunteering opportunities
are available for English-speakers with a background
in biology or animal care and a respect for the Buddhist
ethics exercised at the temple. Please contact the
temple for more information.
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Anne Merritt
is Canadian and has an English Literature degree.
She has worked as a journalist for a university newspaper.
She is currently living in Ayutthaya as an ESL teacher
and is sharing her experience of Thailand with KhaoSanRoad.com.
Other articles by Anne Merritt:
Crocodile
Rockin' in Samut Prakarn - Lopburi
Monkey Festival - Saraburi
Sunflower Fields - Koh
Tao: Island Travel at a Turtle's Pace - Doi
Suthep: Exploring Chiang Mai's Spiritual Side
- Full
Moon Party - The
Life of Pai Northern Thailand's Sweetest Find
- Sister's
are Doing it for Themselves - Coming
Together on Koh Samet - So
you want to teach in Thailand? - Halong
Bay: Vietnam's Jewel on the Water - Zen
and the Art of Marketplace Haggling - Laos
Lifts Us Up Where We Belong - Kuala
Lumpur: Off the Backpacker Route and Into the Big
City
- Water
Water Everywhere - the Songkran Festival Explained
-
Da Lat's Easy Riders - Swimming
in Sihanoukville - Thailand
Books for Travellers; a KSR Guide to the Backpackers'
Favourites - Luang
Prabang - Volunteering
with Elephants - Seeing
Kanchanaburi through the Eye of the Tiger -
Hoi An - Strolling Through Vietnam's Prettiest Colonial
Town - Slowly
down the Mekong - Traveling
as a Couple; Some Tips in Thailand - The
Vegetarian's Guide to Thai Food - How
to Meet Local People - One
Week in Thailand - Trang
Underwater Weddings - Traveling
China
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