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At least 72 tigers have died in recent weeks at a private animal park in northern Thailand following an outbreak of disease, authorities confirmed.
The provincial livestock office in Chiang Mai said testing detected the highly contagious canine distemper virus, along with a bacterial infection affecting the respiratory system.
Virus and bacterial infection detected
Officials said the combination of canine distemper — a virus that can infect big cats — and secondary respiratory bacteria proved fatal for many of the animals.
Somchuan Ratanamungklanon, director of the national livestock department, said it was difficult to detect illness early in tigers.
“When tigers fall ill, it is more difficult to detect than in animals like cats or dogs. By the time we realised they were sick, it was already too late,” he told local media.
Park under scrutiny
The deaths occurred at Tiger Kingdom, a private attraction that allows visitors to touch and take photographs with captive tigers. The park could not be reached for comment.
Animal rights group PETA Asia condemned the incident, saying the animals lived in “misery, confinement and fear.”
The organisation argued that if tourists stopped visiting such venues, they would become financially unsustainable, potentially reducing the risk of similar tragedies.
Ongoing concerns
Canine distemper is highly infectious and can spread rapidly in captive environments where animals are housed in close proximity. The outbreak has raised fresh concerns about animal welfare standards, disease monitoring, and biosecurity measures at wildlife tourism facilities in Thailand.
Authorities are expected to continue investigating the circumstances surrounding the outbreak and whether further containment steps are required.
