The farm spans approximately 4,000 square meters and is enclosed by a 4.5-meter-high wall topped with B40 steel mesh. Inside, there are two dedicated enclosures, complete with shelters, feeding areas, playgrounds, and a veterinary room. The facility currently houses nine tigers, with each animal weighing between 150 and 200 kilograms.
The caretaker, 65-year-old Trinh Dinh Bach, has a lifelong connection to the animals. He reports that the tigers were acquired in 2007 when his cousin, Nguyen Mau Chien, purchased 10 cubs from Laos, later adding five more. Six tigers have since died, leaving the current population of nine. After being fined VND30 million (US$1,142) for illegal possession, Mr. Chien was permitted to continue caring for the tigers.
According to Mr. Bach, the tigers' diet consists primarily of whole chickens and frozen chicken heads, with occasional supplements of pork and beef to ensure adequate nutrition. During the cold season, the total daily food consumption can reach up to 100 kilograms.
Although the farm houses both male and female adult tigers, they are unable to reproduce due to years of confinement in cramped enclosures and an inadequate diet. The family, now facing financial hardship, wishes to transfer the animals to an organization with the resources to properly care for them.
According to Le Van Ha, Head of Muc Son Forest Ranger Station, the farm’s license to raise and breed tigers expired in mid-2017, and a renewal request was denied under current legal regulations. Forest rangers and inter-agency teams continue to carry out regular inspections to ensure cage safety and monitor the animals’ health. Authorities are now urging the farm owner to hand over the tigers to an authorized facility equipped to receive and care for them in accordance with the law.
