Kenyan socialite and entrepreneur Vera Sidika has shared the very different reactions of her parents to a photo of her posing with a tiger during her recent trip to Phuket, Thailand.
The images, posted to her social media, went viral as she revealed the contrasting responses from her mother and father.
The Viral Photo and a Family Chat
The saga began when Sidika shared a post of herself at Tiger Kingdom Phuket, a popular tourist attraction.
The image showed her close to a large tiger, a common tourist activity at the facility. It wasn't long before her parents saw the photo and reached out with their thoughts.
The socialite’s father was the first to message. In a candid WhatsApp exchange, he calmly enquired about the animal, asking, “Is that a real tiger?”
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When his daughter confirmed it was, he simply responded with "And you are not scared." The brief exchange showed a seemingly unflustered reaction.
Her mother's response, however, was dramatically different. After seeing the same photo, she expressed a great deal of concern. "Did you see my pics?"
Sidika wrote, to which her mother replied, "Yes, I did, I'm scared for you. That lion will devour you." Sidika then humorously corrected her mother, asking, “Which lion?”
Background to Tiger Tourism
Vera Sidika’s encounter highlights a growing and controversial trend in global tourism. Facilities like Tiger Kingdom offer tourists a chance for a close-up encounter with the animals.
While some of these venues claim to support conservation efforts by breeding tigers in captivity, many conservation groups argue that these practices are unethical.
Tigers are a critically endangered species, with an estimated 5,574 left in the wild, according to the Global Tiger Forum.
The tiger entertainment industry has faced significant criticism from organisations such as World Animal Protection and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), which claim that the animals are often subjected to abuse and stress.
"If you can get up close, hug or have a selfie with a tiger, it's cruel and don't go."
Reports allege that tiger cubs are often separated from their mothers at an early age to be hand-reared for human interaction and that adult tigers can be housed in small, barren enclosures, a stark contrast to the vast territories they would roam in the wild.
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The EIA also states that some venues have been implicated in the illegal trade of tiger parts.
The practice is a complex issue. Some tourists believe they are supporting conservation, but wildlife experts often recommend against visiting venues that allow direct human interaction with captive animals.
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