Their heads hacked from their graceful bodies, these tragic pictures show the fate of tigers in the brutal hands of poachers.
The photographs, released by police this morning, show officers displaying the heads and carcasses of tigers seized from a truck in Hua Hin - a popular tourist resort.
Police seized tiger carcasses weighing up to 250 kilograms from a truck passing through Hua Hin, in the Prachuap Kiri Khan province.
The tigers were believed to be smuggled from Malaysia and on their way to China, police said.
Two Thai men have been arrested in connection with the smuggling, police said.
A tiger can see for around £800 - but, broken into body parts, their value can soar to £26,500.
With profits so high, traffickers are usually armed and ready to do battle - and China is one of the world's biggest markets for tigers.
Source: Daily Mail Warning: contains graphic images
Tiger poachers nabbed in Hua Hin
Tiger poachers nabbed in Hua Hin
Who is the happier man, he who has braved the storm of life and lived or he who has stayed securely on shore and merely existed? - Hunter S Thompson
Coincidentally, when we went to the Hua Hin Animal re-hab/zoo place today (see separate thread http://www.huahinafterdark.com/forum/vi ... 103#116103 ) we asked to see the farang guy that runs it to give him a donation but the staff said he was in court trying to get these guys bail refused.
Don't think it was related to his facility at all but was using his own lawyer and expense to try and make sure they weren't allowed bail and then disappear.
"Brave man" I said to his staff member, "totally passionate about animal cruelty" was the answer. A visit and donation to the Hua Hin Animal re-hab/zoo place seems all the more worthy.
SJ
Don't think it was related to his facility at all but was using his own lawyer and expense to try and make sure they weren't allowed bail and then disappear.
"Brave man" I said to his staff member, "totally passionate about animal cruelty" was the answer. A visit and donation to the Hua Hin Animal re-hab/zoo place seems all the more worthy.
SJ