Bangkok post: Charge filed over condition of wild animals kept at temple

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ANIMAL CARE / CONSERVATION CHIEF ACCUSED

 

Charge filed over condition of wild animals kept at temple

 

WASSAYOS NGAMKHAM & KULTIDA SAMABUDDHI

 

A wildlife protection group yesterday filed negligence charges against the

chief of the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department for

failure to protect endangered animals being kept at a temple in Nakhon

Pathom province. ''One bear cannot even hold any food because all its claws

were removed. It is like a person without any fingers,'' said animal and

nature protection network co-ordinator Ratchanikorn Tongtip.

 

Another bear had died because of the treatment at the temple, she said.

 

The food given to animals was unclean and sometimes rotten.

 

The group last year asked the department to take action against Wat Swang

Arom in Nakhon Chaisi district, but no action was taken. So they filed

charges with the Crime Suppression Division yesterday.

 

The police suggested the group also lodge a complaint with the National

Counter Corruption Commission, which is in charge of cases involving state

officials but has no members at present.

 

The complaint comes amid heavy criticism of the department's sluggishness in

taking legal action against the privately-run Safari World zoo, which had at

least 110 orangutans, 57 of which have been confirmed as being smuggled from

Indonesia.

 

Ms Ratchanikorn said her group inspected the temple recently and found

various protected species, including a bear, hornbills, a barking deer and

some exotic bird species being kept in the compound. Many were in poor

condition and needed taking care of.

 

There were many temples in the Central Region which illegally house wild

animals to attract visitors and donors, she said. Most of these animals were

poorly treated.

 

Damrong Pidej, the department chief, defended the temple, saying the monks

had already obtained permission from the department to shelter the animals.

 

''The temple has done nothing wrong and the department inspected the place

several times. There is no reason for the activists to sue me,'' said Mr

Damrong, who threatened to file a defamation suit against the activists.

 

Mr Damrong said there were 58 animals at the temple and admitted they were

poorly treated. He would order the temple to improve its animal care.

 

Protected wild animals were sometimes held in captivity at temples, he said.

 

 

''Sometimes, we lack the staff and funds to take care of animals seized from

wildlife smugglers or private animal shelters. So we give them to temples,

which help us look after them,'' he said.