According to a report from World Animal Protection Group, tourists who visit tiger tourism sites are inadvertently supporting an abusive industry.
On International Tiger Day, conservationists are reminding travelers to refrain from taking selfies with the animals which are often held captive and abused for the fleeting entertainment of smartphone-toting tourists looking for a few Instagram and Facebook likes.
In the report “Tiger Selfies Exposed” released ahead of International Tiger Day July 29, the World Animal Protection Group painted a damning portrait of the tiger tourism industry in the wake of the closure of Thailand's Tiger Temple.
The Buddhist temple is a popular tourist attraction and made headlines around the world last month after authorities found 40 dead tiger cubs in a freezer on-site. Prior to its closure, visitors could hold the animals and pose for photos.
But according to the report, tourists who visit tiger tourism sites, many of which are in Thailand, are inadvertently supporting an abusive industry.
Some of the biggest welfare concerns include the separation of tiger cubs from their mothers two to three weeks after they're born.
Cubs are also handed over to tourists as playthings, viewed and mishandled hundreds of times a day, says the report, which can lead to stress and injury.
At some sites, tigers are punished into submission via starvation to subdue any aggressive behavior.
And most venues are far too small to contain the animals, with half of the animals observed locked in cages less than 20 square meters (215 square feet). In the wild, tigers roam between 16 and 32 km in a single night.
The report also points out that the popularity of tiger selfies has spawned the rise of tiger entertainment venues from 623 in 2010 to 830 in 2015-2016.
Earlier this year, the same group released a list of the cruelest animal attractions that should be avoided.
Topping the list is riding elephants, tiger selfies and walking with lions.
