Sri Racha Tiger Zoo, Pattaya

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The Si Racha Tiger Zoo about a 40 minute drive from Pattaya is worth a visit if you want to see some live tigers, crocodiles and elephants at close range. Whereas it may not live up to some of the “western” zoos they must be doing something right judging my the number of tigers they have bred there. It is here that they perfected the process by which tiger cubs are suckled by pigs, rather than their mothers.

They do have animal shows, but I got there early and left within a couple of hours having seen what I wanted to before the day got too hot. I have never been a great fan of Thai animal shows.

There also have a large number of crocodiles there!

Located about half an hour away from Pattaya , Don't really want to go into the ethics but it was great to bottle feed the baby tiger cubs in the nursery. However if it's a real tiger experience you want then visit the Tiger Temple in Kanchiburi ( A day trip from Bangkok) you get to walk and play with adult tigers that have been bought up by buddist monks.

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Sri Racha is located about 30 minutes from Pattaya This zoo is mostly famous for the large number of Bengal tigers with more than 100 acre Sri Racha has a various kinds of animals like crocodiles camels deer monkeys There also many shows like the crocodile, elephant and scorpion queen

This place would have been shut down years ago in the West........it exploits animals and they were responsible for the death of several (was it 23 or 53?) tigers by feeding them contaminated chickens.
The place is a disgrace, the philosophy behind it and the conditions the animals are kept in...I can't think why anyone would enjoy going to a torurous place like that...there should be a campaign to close it down.

Please do not encourage this venue to continue the exploitation & inhumane treatment of critically endangered species such as Orangutan & Chimpanzee. It is highly unlikely these animals were bred at the park as official raids have not found adult primates, which is essential if breeding programmes do exist. It is likely that the infant orangutans & chimpanzees have been stolen from the wild.

A press report from the UK supports this info, & highlights the tragic case of 1 chimp who desperately needs specialist medical care. If anyone has information about the chimpanzee Naree - identifiable by her facial deformation, please contact Monkey World email: apes@monkeyworld.org

Exerpt from Swanage & Wareham Guardian , 2004-04-02
"A chimp in desperate need of medical attention is back performing in a zoo. Now calls are being made for the Thai authorities to tell the truth and abide by an international convention to protect endangered species.

The plight of Naree the chimp was highlighted by Dorset animal welfare campaigners Jim and Dr Alison Cronin.

The Monkey World owners came across the 7 year old chimp at Sriracha Tiger Zoo in Bangkok, alongside other illegal animals, while investigating animal and bird smuggling in the Far East.

This is in direct contravention of the Convention on the Inter-national Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which meets in Bangkok later this year, according to Mr Cronin.

"This is absolutely shocking behaviour. Naree and another baby chimp and two baby orang-utans are performing at the zoo," he said.

"The Thai government has sent out 1,000 letters to people saying Naree is being well looked after. "People have to decide for themselves when they look at these photos - is this the Thai government telling us that they care for Naree or their wildlife?"

"The place where she is at the moment is her nightmare. She is dragged from her cage three times a day to perform with a bear and a tiger. She is scared, sad and suffering, and is then made to beg for money at the end of the shows. "

we got a nice air con taxi for the day to take us the hr drive here, stop frequently for beers, wait 3 hours and drive us back for a mere 800B for us 3, but wit tip as he nice gave him 1000B (20 euro) which he delighted about as he said his monthly salary about 2500B. its about 3 euro in to the zoo and then itsa variety of shows with tigers, elehants etc, can take elaphant fide, i fed a baby tiger cub wit bottle which was a plus of the hol,for 100B incl a polaroid, also held a baby croc (BABY being 3 ft long) and got covered by scorpions...... the tiger tunnel was semi glass one thru a tiger area, pretty cool tho. felt the place was a bit unfair to animals but leaast fed themk etc and was funny to see a tiger cub being reared in cots with piglets

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Pig can count & do simple maths. Definitely a smart animal. Don't think pigs are stupid.

You could find other animals in the tiger zoo. Visitors can watch such as a pig-race and crocodile show.