Phuket Zoo

The monkey show consists of a macaque monkey doing tricks and then taking pictures with the crowd. Some of the monkey's tricks include riding a bike, dunking a basketball and doing exercises, like push-ups and sit-ups. After that, the monkey will walk around with an oil-paper umbrella and take pictures with guests.[5]

elephants trunk in the Phuket zoo

In the elephant shows, a group of asian elephants perform tricks and have an opportunity to meet the guests. The elephants start off by doing tricks like kicking a soccer ball and will also do dances and races. At times, the guests will be able to feed the elephants bananas and at the end touch their trunks. The elephants have even be trained to ask for tips. Many of these shows are demeaning to the animals involved, and some say the zoo should be shut down entirely. The elephants the zoo has were formerly logging elephants.[6] Currently, the Zoo faces allegations of animal abuse due to their treatment of their captive elephants.[7]

While there are no encounters guests can have with the crocodiles, many guests find the show very entertaining. The highlight is when one of the trainers sticks his head in between the crocodiles mouth.[8]

The zoo has a small aquarium with a variety of fish and marine animals including fresh-water and salt-water fish, turtles, frogs, crabs and lizards. They also have a display area showing fishing equipment and techniques of Thailand's fisherman as well as seashells.[9]

The Phuket's Zoo Bird Park has a variety of birds including toucans, peacocks, parrots, hawks, emus and ostriches. Some of the birds are allowed to fly freely in the park.[10] For some reason there's a civet cat

Some guests have complained that animals at the zoo including snow leopards and camels disappeared without any word from the zoo. Some people have speculated that the animals may have gotten sick and were sold off before they died.

The macaque monkey used in the monkey shows have a rope around their neck and are forced to do tricks. One exhibit holds two monkeys, but one is more aggressive than the other forcing it to become malnourished. One gibbon is even in a staff-member's arms all day and stays in a cage with a lock at night with no room to move.

In 2019, a 2-year-old elephant died from injuries he sustained after performing for tourists.[14]

The crocodile exhibit is highly criticized for being overcrowded, small and dirty. Many people have said the water the crocodiles have is too shallow and is filled with feces. They have also been caught on video being poked at with brooms.

A video of a turtle at the Phuket Zoo's Aquarium sparked controversy as its exhibit seemed to be too small for it to move.

Some of the birds in the Bird Park are chained up and some guests have said the bird's cages are too small and overcrowded.

Due to the fact many animals have encounters with humans, many guests speculate that the animals are drugged so they don't attack humans.

Many of the animal's exhibits, including the ostrich and deer, have no grass, shrubbery or enrichment toys. Even one of the Asiatic black bear's enclosure was just a concrete pit.