Deadly Canine Distemper Outbreak Kills 72 Tigers at Thailand Tourist Park, Prompting Investigation

A popular tourist attraction in northern Thailand that allows visitors to interact with large cats is under investigation after a sudden disease outbreak killed 72 tigers in less than two weeks. Officials in Chiang Mai said the animals, kept at two facilities operated by Tiger Kingdom Chiang Mai, tested positive for canine distemper virus along with a respiratory-related bacterium. The exact source of the outbreak is still unknown, according to reports from the BBC. The park, which housed more than 240 tigers before the deaths, has been temporarily closed while authorities disinfect the premises.

Thailand’s national livestock department said staff did not recognize signs of illness in time, noting that sickness can be more difficult to detect in tigers than in domestic animals like dogs or cats. Veterinarians and employees who had contact with the animals are being monitored for 21 days, though no human infections have been reported so far. Earlier testing had suggested feline parvovirus, and some officials initially suspected contaminated raw chicken feed. That same source was blamed for a 2004 bird-flu outbreak that killed nearly 150 tigers at another zoo, with some animals euthanized to prevent further spread.

The incident has renewed criticism of Thailand’s tiger-tourism industry. PETA Asia urged travelers to avoid attractions that allow close contact with captive tigers, citing poor living conditions. Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand said the deaths highlight the risks of putting entertainment ahead of animal welfare and conservation. The group’s founder, Edwin Wiek, warned that inbreeding leaves captive tigers more vulnerable to disease and physical disorders.

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