Phuket's Tiger Kingdom reopens its enclosures as Australian tourist says he does not blame the tiger that mauled him
PETA hopes the incident will educate more tourists about the plight of tigers.
Tiger Kingdom in Phuket has re-opened to the public following the mauling
of an Australian man inside one of its enclosures last week. The park
had closed for two days after Paul Goudie, 49, from Melbourne, was left
needing surgery and dozens of stitches to his stomach and legs after entering
the cage of a large male tiger for photographs.
Despite the life-threatening nature of the attack and major concerns about the
welfare of the animals, tiger tourism looks set to continue on the holiday
island. Tiger Kingdom told Telegraph Travel today that all facilities were
fully open and that it would cost 900 THB (£17) to pose with a small tiger
and 1000 THB (£19.25) to enter the cage one of the larger animals. Visitors
would be accompanied by a handler and restricted to a maximum of ten
minutes. It appears that no new procedures have been put in place since Mr
Goudie was injured.
In a video interview with local newspaper, The Phuket News, Mr. Goudie
apportioned no blame to the tiger and said he hoped the cat’s life would be
spared. A spokesperson for Tiger Kingdom,
Tanawin Boonpang, reportedly claimed that the attack was a result of the big
cat’s overprotective nature. He suggested that the tiger was trying to
defend a staffer whom Mr Goudie had reached out to when trying to stand up.
Animal welfare groups, however, have condemned Tiger Kingdom, with People for
the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) describing captivity as a “living
hell” for the cats.
“Tiger Kingdom - which has long been the subject of intense scrutiny for its
treatment of the animals imprisoned within its walls - gives people the
warped idea that these animals are little more than cuddly kitties who can
be used and abused for our entertainment.“But captivity does not extinguish all the genetic drives that tigers are meant to follow. “Attacks by captive big cats on people - which occur with staggering regularity - illustrate the profound level of stress, anxiety and agitation these animals experience every day of their lives. In captivity, they cannot engage in any of the activities that give their lives meaning.”
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