Trade
and trafficking in tigers and tiger parts in Thailand drew
international attention following the seizure of 400kg of tiger meat and
carcasses in Bangkok's Khlong Sam Wa district earlier this month. It's
remained a thorny issue in Thailand despite global efforts to save the
animals from extinction.The 1992 act strictly outlaws trade in tigers or
tiger parts, and moreover, tigers are protected
by the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES), which prohibits international trade in protected animals,
animal parts and derivatives for commercial purposes.
This means
that the private zoos cannot buy or sell tigers or other restricted
animals to each other or to anyone else. Private zoo owners usually say
their animals were in their possession before the restrictions were in
place or are the offspring of such animals. Transfers of animals between
licensed private zoos are also allowed with approval from the National
Parks Department, but this is a complicated process.
As the number
of private zoos has grown, the National Parks Department has tightened
the regulations for issuing new licences for the zoos, and concerned
government agencies have also stepped up suppression efforts against
smugglers.
