Sunday Times 2
One man and his tiger
Monk cuddles up to the big cat, one of a hundred raised by the Buddhist keepers from cubs at the Temple in Kanchanaburi,Thailand
When temperatures reaching a stifling 37 degrees, even these well-adapted tigers need to find a way of escaping the heat.
The beautiful big cats are pictured at the controversial Tiger Temple in Kanchanaburi, Thailand, where around 100 live alongside Buddhist monks.
Cuddling up: In this remarkable photograph, an adult tiger and a Buddhist monk embrace in a seemingly mutual display of affection
Many were brought to the reserve as cubs and have grown up around humans. But even so these pictures show just how remarkably close these fearsome creatures can get to their keepers. An adult tiger is, at first, sprawled out on the ground sunbathing, but then cuddles up close to one of his fellow residents in the shade.
Elsewhere, a young tiger was spotted happily playing around in a pool of water with a fascinating new toy. Along with soaring temperatures, the humidity in Thailand can reach an exhausting 90 per cent in the summer months.
Founded in 1994, the Tiger Temple has attracted criticism from some wildlife groups who claim it is an illegal breeding facility and that the tigers are not sufficiently cared for. The first cub arrived in 1999 after her mother was killed by poachers nearby.
The organistion insists that it is a legitimate conservation centre, that the animals are well-cared for and that the aim is to release them back into the wild in the future.
© Daily Mail, London
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