19-2-2024 (BANGKOK) Recent public outrage and safety concerns have brought the private possession of wild animals under scrutiny in Thailand. The issue gained prominence following multiple instances of privately-owned lions being spotted in public places over the past few weeks.
In January, a lion cub was seen riding in the back of a luxury convertible in Pattaya. Around the same time, another lion cub was found roaming a street in a residential area in Chon Buri’s Bang Lamung district. Subsequent investigations revealed two 10-month-old lion cubs living in a house.
A few days later, reports emerged of two more cubs, aged nine months and two months, living in poor conditions in a cafe on Sukhumvit Soi 4. On Feb 14, another lion cub was seized from a Phuket hotel room.
Authorities swiftly intervened, confiscating the animals and pressing charges against the owners. Charges include illegal possession of wild animals, keeping protected wild animals without permission, and transporting wild animals without proper documents.
According to the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation, there are 67 controlled wild animals under the Preserved and Protected Wildlife Law. Lions fall under the category of 10 dangerous, controlled animals. Only licensed farms are permitted to trade, buy, and sell these animals.
The law allows private individuals and zoos to import or possess dangerous animals if they adhere to specific rules regulating the trade of controlled and/or protected wildlife. Holders of controlled animals must notify authorities and obtain permission, with permits issued only after officials ensure proper living conditions and public safety.
Prasert Sornsathapornkul, director of the Wild Fauna and Flora Protection Division, acknowledged that many wild animal owners lack sufficient understanding of the law. He stressed the importance of following rules to ensure the animals’ safety and prevent community disturbance.
Observers note a vague stance by the department on individual possession of dangerous animals, prompting suggestions that it is working to verify whether privately-owned dangerous animals are properly registered.
Based on department records, 223 lions are owned by 37 individuals nationwide. The screening procedure is expected to be completed by March, shedding light on how authorities plan to address the issue.
The trend of owning lions, driven by high prices exceeding 100,000 baht, has raised concerns about owners losing interest and potentially engaging in the sale of lions to other individuals or zoos.
Edwin Wiek, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT), urged the department to ban individual possession of dangerous and controlled animals. He expressed concerns that increasing the number of privately-owned lions might lead to wildlife crimes, including the sale of skins, sex organs, and teeth.
Wiek highlighted a recent discovery of a pig farm in Chachoengsao province housing over 10 lions. There are suspicions that the cubs might be awaiting transport, likely to Laos, for further trading.
