At least 72 tigers have died within a span of just two weeks at a privately run tourist facility in Thailand, triggering alarm among wildlife authorities and animal welfare groups. The deaths reportedly
occurred at a park in Chonburi province that housed hundreds of captive-bred tigers and marketed close-contact experiences to visitors. Preliminary reports indicate that the animals succumbed to a fast-spreading viral outbreak, suspected to be feline panleukopenia or feline distemper, a highly contagious disease that can be fatal, especially in young or immunocompromised big cats. Thai officials from the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation have stepped in to investigate the scale of the outbreak, quarantine the premises, and test surviving animals, amid concerns about biosecurity lapses and overcrowding.
The incident has reignited scrutiny of Thailand’s tiger tourism industry, which has long faced criticism over breeding practices, veterinary standards, and animal welfare conditions. Parks that allow tourists to feed, pet, or pose for photographs with tigers often maintain large captive populations, raising questions about genetic management and disease control. Wildlife advocates argue that intensive breeding and high animal density can create the perfect conditions for infections to spread rapidly, as appears to have happened in this case.
Authorities are now assessing whether negligence, inadequate vaccination protocols, or poor containment measures contributed to the mass deaths, while the park’s operations remain under review.
As probe into the tiger deaths continues, here’s a look at what exactly is the feline distemper virus and how it spreads.
What Is Feline Distemper Virus?
Feline distemper virus, more accurately known as feline panleukopenia virus (FPV), is a highly contagious and often deadly viral disease that affects cats and other members of the feline family. Despite the name “distemper,” it is not the same virus that causes canine distemper in dogs. FPV belongs to the parvovirus family and primarily attacks rapidly dividing cells in a cat’s body, particularly those in the bone marrow, intestines and developing foetuses. By damaging the bone marrow, the virus drastically reduces white blood cell counts — a condition called panleukopenia — leaving infected animals severely immunocompromised and vulnerable to secondary infections.
The disease spreads through direct contact with infected animals, their bodily fluids, or contaminated surfaces such as cages, bedding and feeding bowls. The virus is extremely resilient and can survive for months in the environment, making outbreaks difficult to contain, especially in crowded facilities like shelters or breeding centres. Infected cats may develop high fever, lethargy, vomiting, severe diarrhoea, dehydration and loss of appetite. Kittens are particularly susceptible and often face a high mortality rate if not treated promptly.
While there is no specific antiviral cure, supportive veterinary care — including fluids, antibiotics to prevent secondary infections and isolation — can improve survival chances. Vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent the disease.
How Does FPV Spread?
Feline panleukopenia virus spreads primarily through direct contact with infected bodily fluids — including saliva, nasal discharge, urine and faeces — or through contaminated environments. The virus is shed in large quantities by infected animals and can persist for months on surfaces such as enclosures, feeding equipment, transport crates and even caretakers’ clothing. Because it is highly resistant to heat, cold and many common disinfectants, routine cleaning may not be enough to eliminate it. Infected animals can begin shedding the virus before showing visible symptoms, which makes early detection difficult and allows the disease to move silently through a population.
In tigers and other big cats kept in captivity, the risk of transmission rises sharply in settings where animals are housed in close proximity. Shared spaces, common drainage systems, pooled water sources and the reuse of tools between enclosures can facilitate rapid spread.
In tourist parks or breeding facilities, frequent human movement between cages may also act as a mechanical carrier, transferring viral particles from one enclosure to another. Cubs are especially vulnerable because of their still-developing immune systems, and if vaccination coverage is incomplete or biosecurity protocols are weak, an outbreak can escalate quickly, affecting dozens of animals within a short span.
Can This Virus Affect Humans?
Feline panleukopenia virus does not spread to humans. It is caused by a parvovirus that specifically infects members of the cat family, including domestic cats and wild felids such as tigers, lions and leopards. The virus is highly species-specific, meaning it does not have the ability to infect people.
Humans can, however, act as mechanical carriers. This means a person who handles an infected animal or contaminated surfaces — such as cages, bedding, or feeding equipment — can unknowingly carry viral particles on their clothes, shoes or hands and transfer them to another animal. But the virus cannot replicate in the human body or cause illness in people.
How Is FPV Treated?
There is no specific antiviral drug that cures feline panleukopenia in tigers, so treatment focuses on intensive supportive care and strict isolation. Infected tigers require prompt veterinary intervention to manage dehydration through intravenous fluids, correct electrolyte imbalances, and control vomiting or diarrhoea. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are often administered to prevent or treat secondary bacterial infections that take advantage of the animal’s weakened immune system.
In severe cases, nutritional support and plasma or blood transfusions may be considered if white blood cell counts drop dangerously low. Just as important as medical therapy is rigorous biosecurity — isolating sick animals, disinfecting enclosures with agents effective against parvoviruses, and closely monitoring the remaining population — to prevent further spread within a facility.
