A rapid and devastating virus outbreak has claimed the lives of at least 72 captive tigers housed in wildlife tourist parks in northern Thailand, prompting an urgent public health and animal welfare response from authorities and conservationists. The deaths, which were reported between February 8 and February 19 at facilities in the Mae Rim and Mae Taeng districts of Chiang Mai province, have shocked both local officials and the international community, as veterinary teams work to contain and investigate the cause of the mass mortality event.
The fatalities occurred at two popular tourist attractions operated by Tiger Kingdom, where visitors historically have been able to interact closely with the big cats. According to local wildlife officials, 51 tigers died at the Tiger Kingdom Mae Taeng facility and 21 at the Mae Rim site, out of a total population of around 246 animals previously housed across both parks. The scale and speed of the deaths have been described by authorities as “very unusual,” triggering immediate containment measures and public communication efforts.
Diagnostic testing by the Chiang Mai Provincial Livestock Office and affiliated veterinary laboratories has identified the presence of canine distemper virus (CDV) — an infectious pathogen more commonly associated with domestic dogs — and Mycoplasma bacteria, which can worsen respiratory illness in large carnivores. Investigators have also reported detecting feline parvovirus in some samples, underscoring the complexity of the outbreak and the possibility of co-infection by multiple pathogens that may have contributed to the high fatality rate.
Officials have clarified that canine distemper virus is not known to be transmissible to humans, aiming to allay public health concerns, but they emphasize the difficulty of early detection and treatment in large wild cats — particularly in captive settings where close veterinary observation may be limited until advanced disease symptoms become evident. According to national livestock department authorities, when tigers develop illness, signs are often subtle or noticed only after the disease has progressed significantly, complicating efforts at early intervention.
In response to the crisis, the Mae Rim Tiger Kingdom has been temporarily closed for at least 14 days to enable comprehensive disinfection of animal enclosures, quarantine of surviving tigers, and implementation of disease-control protocols. Remaining animals have been relocated to quarantine and care centers where they are being monitored closely, and vaccination plans are being prepared to reduce risks of further spread. Officials have also conducted extensive swab testing throughout the facilities and are coordinating further laboratory analyses to better understand the outbreak and its possible origin.
While authorities continue their investigation, some veterinarians and animal health experts suspect that contaminated food sources, including raw meat, could be a contributing factor, although no definitive source has yet been confirmed. Captive environments, particularly those with high animal densities and histories of inbreeding, may also weaken natural immunity and amplify the impact of infectious agents, officials noted.
The tragedy has reignited debates over the ethics and safety of wildlife tourism industries that allow close human contact with large predators. Animal rights organisations have criticised such facilities for prioritising commercial interests over animal welfare, warning that repeated outbreaks and mortality events highlight broader systemic issues within the sector. As authorities press ahead with containment efforts and research into preventive measures, the incident is likely to prompt deeper scrutiny of wildlife management practices across Thailand and beyond.
