BANGKOK: Thai authorities have rescued five wild animals – two lions and three bears – after finding them caged at Thmor Dar Casino in Cambodia, as border tensions in Trat province eased.
The Trat Marine Special Task Force on Dec 22 moved in to secure and clear the Thmor Dar Casino area following an improvement in the situation along the Trat border. During an inspection, officials discovered wildlife being kept and confined in cages: one male lion and one female lion, two male Asiatic black bears and one sun bear.
The task force coordinated with Thailand’s Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) to carry out the rescue in line with animal welfare standards. Officials said they are still collecting evidence and checking the animals’ origins in order to take legal action under wildlife conservation laws.
Atthapol Charoenchansa, the director-general of the DNP, said all five animals were found in a severely weakened condition – emaciated with ribs clearly visible – and were believed to have been deprived of water and food for an extended period, leaving them in a critical state.
After being alerted by the military, he ordered the wildlife conservation bureau to rush fully equipped teams to the site to assess the animals and move them immediately.
When officials arrived, they found what Atthapol described as a distressing scene: The male and female lions, the two bears and the sun bear were all in critical condition, extremely thin with frightened expressions.
Veterinarians had to plan the operation carefully because the animals were so weak that anaesthesia carried a high risk of cardiac arrest. Teams supported the animals with vitamins and monitored vital signs second by second throughout the operation.
The relocation was carried out under intense time pressure. More than 20 soldiers and park officials worked together to carry the cages out of the danger zone, struggling with limited routes in the border area and racing to reduce stress on the animals as quickly as possible.
The transport convoy has now left the area. The bears were sent to recover at the Bang Lamung Wildlife Breeding Station in Chon Buri, while the pair of lions were taken to the Khao Son Wildlife Breeding Station in Ratchaburi.
Officials said all five animals were expected to reach their new facilities safely by 2am local time on Dec 22. The DNP has arranged veterinary teams at both stations to take over care and begin full rehabilitation. - The Nation/ANN
