Anger over the sad and unnecessary death of a malnourished Malayan sun bear may have saved her friends from the same fate.
The remaining four bears living in captivity at a temple in Prachuap Khiri Khan province will soon be rescued by wildlife officials, the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand announced this afternoon, following an outcry over the death of one bear on Sunday.
READ: Starved of light and food, temple ‘sun bear’ dies pitifully
“After almost a week providing medical treatment to the bears at the temple in Southern Thailand we now have been informed by the authorities that all remaining temple bears will be rescued within a few days,” it said. “WFFT has been sending complaint letters and letters of concern to the authorities for three years now, as the bears at this temple were kept in inadequate enclosures, too small and too dirty.”
“Kwan” the Malayan sun bear died after the group discovered her starving and kept in a dark room Saturday during what the foundation described as a routine check on wildlife kept at a temple. She was the second bear to die at the temple.
The four remaining bears are in poor health. They live in unsanitary conditions and are reportedly subjected to infection inside their cages.
The foundation laid the blame for the two bear’s deaths at the feet of unresponsive authorities.
“We are of course saddened by the lack of response by authorities, resulting in the death of two innocent bears,” it added. “… Religious leaders are just like politicians and wealthy people often above the law, so legal charges for illegal wildlife possession or animal cruelty are usually not pressed by police or other authorities.”
Photos: Wildlife Friends Foundation
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