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Japan Times
an hour ago
- Japan Times
'Absolute madness': Thailand's pet lion problem
Behind a car repair business on a nondescript Thai street are the cherished pets of a rising TikTok animal influencer: two lions and a 200-kilogram lion-tiger hybrid called "Big George." Lion ownership is legal in Thailand, and Tharnuwarht Plengkemratch is an enthusiastic advocate, posting updates on his feline companions to nearly 3 million followers. "They're playful and affectionate, just like dogs or cats," he said from inside their cage complex at his home in the northern city of Chiang Mai. Thailand's captive lion population has exploded in recent years, with nearly 500 registered in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and homes. Experts warn the trend endangers animals and humans, stretches authorities and likely fuels illicit trade domestically and abroad. "It's absolute madness," said Tom Taylor, chief operating officer of conservation group Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand. "It's terrifying to imagine, if the laws aren't changed, what the situation is going to be in 10 years." The boom is fueled by social media, through which owners such as Tharnuwarht post lighthearted content and glamor shots with lions. "I wanted to show people ... that lions can actually bond well with humans," he said, insisting he plays regularly with his pets. He entered Big George's enclosure tentatively though, spending just a few minutes being batted by the tawny striped liger's hefty paws before retreating behind a fence. Since 2022, Thai law has required owners to register and microchip lions, and inform authorities before moving them. Mechanic shop owner and avid TikToker Tharnuwarht Plengkemratch plays with his pet lion-tiger hybrid 'Big George' in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on July 11. | AFP-JIJI But there are no breeding caps, few enclosure or welfare requirements, and no controls on liger or tigon hybrids. Births of protected native species such as tigers must be reported within 24 hours. Lion owners have 60 days. "That is a huge window," said Taylor. "What could be done with a litter of cubs in those 60 days? Anything." Illicit trade Taylor and his colleagues have tracked the rise in lion ownership with on-site visits and by trawling social media. They recorded around 130 in 2018, and nearly 450 by 2024. But nearly 350 more lions they encountered were "lost to follow-up" after their whereabouts could not be confirmed for a year. That could indicate unreported deaths, an animal removed from display or "worst-case scenarios," said Taylor. "We have interviewed traders (in the region) who have given us prices for live and dead lions and have told us they can take them over the border." As a vulnerable species, lions and their parts can only be sold internationally with what are known as CITES permits. But there is circumstantial evidence of illicit trade, several experts said on condition of anonymity to avoid angering authorities. Media reports and social media have documented lions, including cubs, in Cambodia multiple times in recent years, though the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) shows no registered imports since 2003. Tharnuwarht looks at one of his pet lions, which underwent taxidermy after its death a few years ago, in Chiang Mai, on July 11. | AFP-JIJI There is also growing evidence that captive lion numbers in Laos exceed CITES import licenses. In Thailand, meanwhile, imports of lion parts such as bones, skins and teeth have dropped in recent years, though demand remains, raising questions about how parts are now being sourced. Thai trader Pathamawadee Janpithak started in the crocodile business, but pivoted to lions as prices for the reptiles declined. "It gradually became a full-fledged business that I couldn't step away from," the gregarious 32-year-old said in front of a row of caged cubs. She sells 1-month-olds for around 500,000 baht ($15,500), down from a peak of 800,000 baht as breeding operations such as hers increase supply. Captive lions are generally fed around two kilograms of chicken carcasses a day, and can produce litters of two to six cubs, once or twice a year. Pathamawadee's three facilities house around 80 lions, from a stately full-maned 9-year-old to a sickly pair of 8-day-olds being bottle-fed around the clock. They are white because of a genetic mutation, and the smaller pool of white lions means inbreeding and sickness are common. Sometimes wrongly considered a "threatened" subspecies, they are popular in Thailand, but a month-old white cub being reared alongside the newborns has been sick almost since birth. It has attracted no buyers so far and will be unbreedable, Pathamawadee said. She lamented the increasing difficulty of finding buyers willing to comply with ownership rules. "In the past, people could just put down money and walk away with a lion ... Everything has become more complicated." Legal review Pathamawadee sells around half of the 90 cubs she breeds each year, often to other breeders, who are increasingly opening "lion cafes" where customers pose with and pet young lions. Outside Chiang Mai, a handler roused a cub from a nap to play with a group of squealing Chinese tourists. Staff allowed the filming of the interaction, but like all lion cafes contacted, declined interviews. Pathamawadee no longer sells to cafes, which tend to offload cubs within weeks as they grow. She said several were returned to her traumatized and no longer suitable for breeding. A man plays with a lion cub at a cafe in Chiang Mai. Thailand's captive lion population has exploded in recent years, with nearly 500 registered individuals in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and homes. | AFP-JIJI The growing lion population is a problem for Thailand's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), admitted wildlife protection director Sadudee Punpugdee. "But private ownership has existed for a long time ... so we're taking a gradual approach," he said. That includes limiting lion imports so breeders are forced to rely on the domestic population. "With inbreeding on the rise, the quality of the lions is also declining and we believe that demand will decrease as a result," Sadudee said. Already-stretched authorities face difficult choices on enforcing regulations, as confiscated animals become their responsibility, said Penthai Siriwat, an illegal wildlife trade specialist at WWF Thailand. "There is a great deal of deliberation before intervening ... considering the substantial costs," she said. Owners such as Tharnuwarht often evoke conservation to justify their pets, but Thailand's captive lions will never live in the wild. Two-year-olds Khanom and Khanun live in a DNP sanctuary after being confiscated from a cafe and private owner over improper paperwork. They could survive another decade or more, and require specialized keepers, food and care. Sanctuary chief vet Natanon Panpeth treads carefully while discussing the lion trade, warning only that the "well-being of the animals should always come first." Big cat ownership has been banned in the United States and United Arab Emirates in recent years, and Thailand's wildlife rules are soon up for review. Sadudee is hopeful some provisions may be tightened, though a ban is unlikely for now. He has his own advice for would-be owners: "Wild animals belong in the wild. There are plenty of other animals we can keep as pets."
Japan Times
2 hours ago
- Japan Times
Details of Prince Hisahito's coming-of-age ceremony announced
The Imperial Household Agency on Tuesday announced the details of the coming-of-age ceremony for Prince Hisahito, son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, on Sept. 6, his 19th birthday. It will be the first coming-of-age ceremony for a male imperial family member in 40 years, since that of Crown Prince Akishino. Prince Hisahito is second in line to the throne, after his father. During the ceremony, to be hosted by Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, Prince Hisahito will receive a crown from Emperor Naruhito's messenger at the Crown Prince's residence at 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 6. Prince Hisahito will then attend the Kakan-no-Gi crown-wearing ritual at the Imperial Palace from 10 a.m., wearing traditional attire for a minor imperial family member. Prince Hisahito will then change into adult attire and move to the palace's three sanctuaries in a ceremonial carriage, where he will offer prayers. In the afternoon, he is scheduled to greet Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako at the Matsu-no-Ma state room at the palace in a ritual known as Choken no Gi and then visit his grandparents, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko, at their residence in Minato Ward. The Cabinet decided Tuesday to grant the Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Chrysanthemum to Prince Hisahito. He will be awarded the medal from Emperor Naruhito on the day of the coming-of-age ceremony. On Sept. 8, Prince Hisahito will visit Ise Jingu, a major Shinto shrine in the city of Ise in Mie Prefecture, and the mausoleum of Emperor Jinmu, the mythical first emperor, in the city of Kashihara in neighboring Nara Prefecture. Prince Hisahito will visit the mausoleum of Emperor Hirohito, his great-grandfather, in Hachioji, Tokyo, on Sept. 9. A celebratory luncheon will be held in Tokyo on Sept. 10, with participants including the prime minister and other dignitaries.
Tokyo Weekender
3 hours ago
- Tokyo Weekender
Weird Legends About the Posthumous Lives of Famous Japanese Figures
For most people, death is the end of their story. It doesn't have to be, but there's a limited audience wanting updates about a body's state of decay. However, three famous Japanese figures proved that you can go on grand adventures or accomplish unbelievable things long after your demise. At least, that's what their legends say. None of them are true, but the world would be a more interesting place if they were. So let's silence our inner skeptic, close our eyes and, for a few fun minutes, imagine that … List of Contents: Minamoto no Yoshitsune Became Genghis Khan Oda Nobunaga Became Giordano Bruno Saigo Takamori Became Mars Related Posts Minamoto no Yoshitsune Became Genghis Khan Minamoto no Yoshitsune (1159–1189) is one of the most famous warriors in Japanese history. A key figure in the Genpei War that helped samurai gain control of the country, he was the half-brother of Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun, and the brother-in-law of Hojo Masako, the Nun Shogun . The Yo Bros sadly became enemies after the war, and Yoshitsune was ultimately betrayed, surrounded and forced to commit seppuku, all while the warrior monk Benkei gave his life to give him some privacy. Yoshitsune's suicide is still considered one of the most tragic — but also one of the most poignant — deaths in Japanese history. Nevertheless, some people decided to ruin it by inventing legends that Yoshitsune actually survived, escaped to Hokkaido and sailed from there to mainland Asia, where he became THE Genghis Khan (1162–1227 — or maybe that's what they want you to believe.) Interestingly, we know exactly who these 'some people' were. It was just one guy, Kencho Suematsu, who came up with the story to raise Japan's status after the Meiji Restoration. In 1868, Japan abolished the feudal system and entered a new age of modernity, but technologically, the country was way behind most of the world. Suematsu may have just wanted to exalt Japan by bringing up its past and got carried away, claiming that the man who created a vast empire that, under subsequent rulers, stretched from eastern China to Poland was actually Japanese. He probably omitted the fact that Genghis' descendants invaded Japan twice . While Suematsu's reasons are MAYBE understandable, the way he went about proving the theory was just … bizarre. One of his arguments was that if you read Yoshitsune's name the Sino-Japanese way, it would be 'Gen Gi-kei,' which sounds a little like the Japanese pronunciation of Genghis Khan! Also, the title 'khan' could come from the Japanese word kami, meaning 'god'! To be fair, some of the 'evidence' that Suematsu presented came from outside sources who have been pushing a Japan-Mongol connection for centuries to get Japan more street cred. Next time, just brag about Japan's samurai gun assassins . That's both cool AND real. Oda Nobunaga (left) and Giordano Bruno (right) Oda Nobunaga Became Giordano Bruno Oda Nobunaga (1534–1582) was the first of Japan's great unifiers who tried to bring the country together after the collapse of the imperial and military governments in the mid-15th century. He's also known as the ' Demon King ,' a nickname that he gave himself to torment his devout Buddhist enemies. The feared warlord was ultimately betrayed by one of his generals, Akechi Mitsuhide, and forced to commit seppuku in the burning Honno-ji temple. But his body was never found, so going by comic book rules, he must have survived! That's really the entire basis of the MANY legends about Nobunaga living past 1582. The wildest one says he was smuggled out of the country by Jesuit monks — with whom he had a pretty good relationship — and brought to the Philippines. From there, he made his way to Europe and became none other than the 'Italian' astronomer Giordano Bruno! The Philippines escape story has actually been told for centuries, but the Bruno connection is a pretty recent invention. We don't know exactly when it started, but it seems to be based almost entirely on the fact that 'Giordano Bruno' in Japanese is Jorudano Buruno. J o ru dano Bu runo. Oda Nobu! The sly fox was hiding in plain sight the entire time! Some versions of the legend say that Akechi Mitsuhide was in on the plan and actually helped Nobunaga fake his death so he could take his philosophy of world conquest global. That … did not really work out, as Bruno was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church in 1600 for supporting Copernicus, claiming the universe is infinite and other 'heresy.' If that really WAS Oda Nobunaga, then you have to admit the weird cosmic coincidence of both his 'deaths' occurring while he was surrounded by fire (maybe that's another clue?!). Saigo Takamori and a woodblock print depicting him as the planet Mars by Utagawa Kunisada III (c. 1877) Saigo Takamori Became Mars Saigo Takamori (1828–1877) led the last samurai rebellion against the Japanese government, as grossly misrepresented in The Last Samurai , where, in typical Western fashion , his name was changed. The exact details of the Satsuma Rebellion are not important right now; what is important is that Saigo Takamori lost and chose to commit seppuku, exemplifying the samurai spirit to the very end. Or so the story goes. The truth is that Saigo was probably too riddled with bullets to actually open his stomach and was simply beheaded by his second to avoid capture and retain his honor. But being a samurai is about more than self-disembowelment, and Saigo was a samurai who fought for samurai. Maybe that's why the rumor that he faked his death and escaped to Russia (not very samurai-like) isn't as popular as the rumor that his spirit rose to Mars, where it sort of … fused with the planet. The belief may have been inspired by (unconfirmed) reports that the planet Mars was unusually bright after Saigo's death, pointing to his heavenly ascension. There is also a long Japanese tradition of deifying great warriors. Kusunoki Masashige (1294–1336) is today enshrined as a kami because of his fierce loyalty. Taira no Masakado is technically a god of wrath still cursing Tokyo from his head's grave in the center of the city . Saigo becoming Mars is an extreme example, but it's not that out of the ordinary. But that's not why the legend started. It's simply a case of contrarianism. Saigo fought the Meiji government, which was all about leaving the past behind and embracing modernity, science and rationality. So, Saigo's supporters came up with the most traditional, unscientific, irrational theory about the last samurai as a form of protest against the people who killed him. Who knows, though? Maybe if you believe something strongly and long enough, it becomes true, and Saigo Takamori IS looking at us through the eyes of Mars and still screaming about all the historic inaccuracies in The Last Samurai. Related Posts Tokugawa Ieyasu, the Star of Shogun: Rumors and Legends About the Powerful Ruler From Butt Eyes to Scrotum Houses: 5 Weird Japanese Yokai That Are Actually Harmless The Bizarre and Violent Tales of Japanese Mermaids, or Ningyo
