(Thailand, 22nd) The Department of Livestock Development of Thailand's Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives issued a notice on the 21st regarding the recent mass deaths of tigers in Chiang Mai: from February 8 to 18, a total of 72 Bengal tigers died consecutively, including 21 at the Mae Rim park and 51 at the Mae Taeng park in Chiang Mai.
According to China News Service, the notice stated that the Department of Livestock, together with Chiang Mai provincial livestock authorities, entered the scene starting February 13 to conduct pathological sampling and laboratory testing. Test results showed no detection of influenza A virus genes, thus ruling out the possibility of avian influenza infection.
Testing confirmed that the primary cause of these mass tiger deaths was co-infection by canine distemper virus and mycoplasma bacteria.
Officials explained that canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease that can be transmitted through direct contact with secretions and by air, causing severe damage to animals’ respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems; mycoplasma bacteria are transmitted via ticks, fleas, and stable flies in enclosures and can cause hemolytic anemia and destroy red blood cells. In captive environments, animals are under constant stress, which, combined with abrupt climate changes and other stress factors, allows viruses and bacteria to cause compounded infections, leading to rapid deterioration of the condition and significantly increasing the risk of death.
The Department of Livestock emphasized that these diseases are not zoonotic and cannot be transmitted from animals to humans. All park staff have undergone health checks, and the results are normal.
Somporn, director of the Department of Livestock, stated that the relevant parks have been ordered to implement stringent control measures, including comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of animal enclosures, isolating sick individuals from healthy ones, and establishing vaccination plans for the remaining tigers to reduce the risk of further spread.
As of now, the Bengal tiger population stands at 44 at Mae Rim park and 130 at Mae Taeng park in Chiang Mai.