Overview

• On May 29, an Indian tourist at Tiger Kingdom in Phuket suffered minor injuries after a tiger pounced on him while he crouched for a selfie beside the chained animal.
• Video of the attack, shared first on X, shows the holidaymaker holding the tiger’s chain as a handler tries to position the cat before the animal suddenly lunges.
• The footage has gone viral, prompting widespread criticism of wildlife parks that offer close interactions with big cats and highlighting the inherent risks to visitors.
• Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand and other groups have condemned the practice as exploitative, arguing that forced handling causes significant stress and cruelty to the animals.
• The Environmental Investigation Agency advises tourists to boycott attractions that enable direct contact with captive tigers to curb the profitability of the 'tiger entertainment' industry.