Between February 8 and 18, 72 tigers died in two animal parks located in the districts of Mae Taeng and Mae Rim, Chiang Mai province, in northern Thailand. The phenomenon, described as a feline plague, generated international alarm and forced authorities to close the facilities operated under the name Tiger Kingdom.
The necropsies revealed the presence of genetic material from the canine distemper virus (CDV) and traces of bacterial infection, but ruled out the presence of the avian influenza type A virus.
- CDV is infectious to both dogs and felines and can spread through bodily fluids and the air.
- In tigers and cats, symptoms tend to be more severe, especially in confined environments and with populations affected by stress and inbreeding.
- The carcasses were incinerated and buried after a disinfection process to prevent any further use.
Reassurance for the population
The Minister of Public Health, Pattana Promphat, assured that no human infections have been reported: “There has been no case of animal-to-human infection”. The director of the Department of Disease Control, Monthien Khanasawat, added that if symptoms are detected in people, a national surveillance and contact tracing protocol would be applied.
Veterinarian Visit Arsaithamkul, who participated in the necropsies, expressed concern because the origin of the infections is still unclear. He suggested that food could be a key factor, since both parks received food from the same source and are only 30 kilometers apart.
Regional context
The alert comes at a time when Asia is facing the resurgence of avian flu, a disease that in Thailand caused the death of 17 people and the culling of millions of poultry between 2004 and 2007.
Although the current outbreak in tigers is not linked to avian influenza, authorities urged the population to take extreme precautions in the consumption of poultry.
Impact on conservation
Tigers, a symbol of Asian biodiversity, already face threats from habitat loss and poaching. The death of 72 specimens in such a short time represents a severe blow to conservation programs, especially in a country that relies on wildlife tourism.
The canine distemper outbreak in Chiang Mai parks exposes the vulnerability of captive tigers and the need to strengthen health controls and research on the causes of the infection. Although no human infections have been reported, the episode highlights the importance of epidemiological prevention.
