As the wild Indochinese tiger population creeps towards extinction, the numbers of captive-bred tigers are skyrocketing -
an estimated 2,000 currently live in dozens of tourism and farm facilities across Thailand.
A lucrative industry driven by tourists’ desire to interact with the big cats has left the welfare of these animals in crisis.

In an age of global digital connectivity, social media has the power to shape Thailand’s important wildlife tourism industry.
Tiger selfies can drive the desire for more interaction, leading to unethical speed-breeding. On the other hand, social media movements can lead to rescue from, or improvement of, a welfare crisis. But without taking the time to understand all of the facts with nuance, these reactions have the potential to cause more harm than good. Thailand’s captive tigers find themselves caught in the middle, their best interest often drowned out amidst the politics and the noise. Whether a tourist, politician, conservationist, business owner, or activist, each has a responsibility to hold one another accountable to prioritizing the welfare of the captive tiger population, and to change the culture of how humans can ethically appreciate this fragile species.

2016 - 2019