Thailand’s government has introduced a donation drive to feed abandoned animals

Many of the wild animals that the group is attempting to care for have been saved by poachers. Wildcats like lions and tigers, as well as bears, otters, and bird species, are among the animals, according to Ratchada. The 30 million baht will now go towards feeding around 26,000 rescued animals. Donations can be made to the project’s Krungthai Bank account number 980-216-5379, according to the department chief. Ratchada Suriyakul Na Ayutthaya, the department’s director-general, claimed that huge animals such as tigers and bears require around 5 kilograms of meat every day, in addition to vitamins. The government also conducts annual health checkups on the animals, according to him.

Several investigations last year revealed that in Southeast Asia, tourist guides and information centers were supporting illicit wildlife trafficking by encouraging tourists to eat their products. According to Hong Hoang, founder and executive director of CHANGE, a Vietnamese environmental NGO, illegal wildlife merchants routinely pay guides and tourist bureaus a commission to lead travelers in the right direction.

People can give money to feed rescued wild animals through Thailand’s wildlife department’s “Foster Parents” campaign. The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation used to receive 80 million baht per year for animal care, but owing to a government cut, funding has been reduced to only 30 million baht this year. This comes as the agency struggles to feed hundreds of wild animals on a shoestring budget.