Sisaket: Chulabhorn Wildlife Breeding Station prepares to move 16 tigers out of the area, fearing that they will escape and pose a danger to the public after the border situation escalates. Mr. Sathit Phanthumas, head of the Chulabhorn Wildlife Breeding Station in Tambon Pru Yai, Amphoe Khukhan, Si Sa Ket Province, revealed that the station is currently preparing a plan to urgently move 15 tigers and 1 leopard, a total of 16 animals, out of the area after the situation on the Thai-Cambodian border in the nearby area became increasingly tense and could be dangerous if the animals escaped from their cages.
According to Thai News Agency, Chulabhorn Wildlife Breeding Station takes care of over 500 wild animals on an area of over 6,000 rai, covering the borders of Phusing, Khukhan, and Khun Han districts. The purpose of the station is to breed wild animals before returning them to the wild. Currently, the animals under its care are divided into several zones, such as the ungulate zone, which includes barking deer, deer, and antelopes; a bird zone, featuring hawks and eagles; and a mammal zone, housing monkeys, lorises, and civets. The large animal zone includes tigers, which are considered dangerous animals and require close monitoring.
According to the security order, Khukhan District has been declared a red zone. The station chief stated that if an evacuation order is received, the commander will be notified for approval and all tigers will be moved out of the area immediately. This is because if an unexpected event occurs, such as a tiger being startled by a loud noise or its cage being damaged by a bullet, it may escape and pose a threat to nearby residents.
The veterinary team from Ubon Ratchathani Zoo, together with the Office of Natural Resources Conservation Area 9, has now been prepared with iron cages for transporting the animals. The process will begin by carefully anesthetizing each animal before capturing them in cages and moving them immediately when they wake up from the effects of the drug.
The plan to move the animals is to use two six-wheeled trucks, which can carry six animals at a time. It is expected that the animals will need to be moved three times. The final destination is the Ubon Ratchathani Zoo, which is about 100 kilometers away, taking about two hours per trip. There are no plans to move other types of wild animals due to restrictions on large cages.