Officials of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants Conservation are puzzled after findings from DNA tests show that the ten stuffed dead tiger cubs were not genetically linked with any of the 147 tigers seized from Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi province.
The department’s deputy director-general, Mr Adisorn Nutdamrong, said on Wednesday that the DNAs of the ten stuffed dead tiger cubs did not match with the DNAs of any of the 147 tigers.
He said the initial assumption is that the ten stuffed dead tiger cubs might have been smuggled into the country.
As for the other animals which are still being kept at the Tiger Temple, Mr Adisorn said that the department had a plan to relocate them elsewhere but would have to wait until the appropriate timing for the relocation.
Latest information obtained by the department shows that the Tiger Temple had bought about 150 animals from private zoo in Nakhon Nayok without permission from the department.
Relocation of the animals can be done only when there is a permit from the department.
