Wildlife workers have rescued 53 tigers and leopards that have spent their lives in captivity at an illegal breeding farm in Thailand.

The big cats were found by wildlife authorities on December 16 in a rundown facility facing bankruptcy and prosecution over alleged illegal wildlife trading in Mukdahan, northern Thailand.

Vets and wildlife experts from the Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) rescued the emaciated animals in what the organisation described as 'the largest tiger rescue operation by an NGO in Thailand's history'.

They said the creatures will now enjoy 'sunlight and grass for the first time' at a sprawling woodland sanctuary around 550 mies away in the south of the country.

WFFT founder Edwin Wiek said: 'This was an incredible rescue. It's the biggest by any NGO in Thailand. The tigers, leopards and other animals will finally see freedom for the first times in their lives.

'They will experience direct sunlight and the feel of grass on their feet. They will have the freedom every animal deserves.'

Officials said 35 tigers and 18 leopards in total will be rescued from the farm, with the first 15 chosen based on urgent medical needs.

Twelve elderly tigers and three ill leopards were the first to be saved. They were sedated and underwent health checks before being loaded in cages onto wildlife ambulances. The rest - a further 23 tigers and 15 leopard - will be removed in the coming days.

Among the rescued big cats was the emaciated female tiger Salamas, 20, who was not tranquilised for fear she would not wake up from sedation due to her poor health.

With patches of fur missing from her skeletal frame, Salamas was coaxed into a transport cage with food inside.

WFFT founder Edwin Wiek said: 'It was feared that she was too weak to walk, but eventually she gathered her strength and stumbled over to the cage. She was then able to be lifted to the specialist wildlife ambulance that made the twelve hour overnight drive to the wildlife rescue sanctuary.

'Although alarmingly skinny and with huge patches of fur missing across her body, rescuers are hopeful that Salamas will now begin to recover.'

The other rescued animals included a timid female tiger named 'A-1' and a male tiger named 'Rambo', 20, suffering breathing problems.

The animals were confined in cramped and dirty enclosures their entire lives. The rescuers believe the animals will experience sunlight and grass for the first time at their new home at the WFFT grounds.

The sanctuary, located in Phetchaburi province in the south of the country, is a dedicated Tiger Rescue Centre spread across over seventeen acres of near-natural habitat.

Edwin Wiek added: 'After months of planning the biggest tiger rescue by an NGO in Thailand's history, we are thrilled to now finally give these magnificent animals a new life at WFFT's Tiger Rescue Centre. Sadly, they will never be able to return to the wild, but we can offer them the next best thing: a safe, sanctuary home where they can roam forested land, socialise with other tigers, and even swim in the lake.

'We are grateful to the Thai government's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNP) for taking action against the illegal wildlife trade and for collaborating with WFFT to help give these tigers the second chance that they deserve.

'The first twelve tigers and three leopards have been rescued, but there are many more who remain at the farm still waiting to be saved. We are desperate to return as soon as possible to rescue them, but as an NGO without government funding we rely solely on donations to make these rescue missions a reality. If you can, please support us at wfft.org/donate to help save the remaining animals from this tiger farm.'

The notorious tiger farm has been the subject of prolonged legal disputes with government wildlife officials.

Local media have reported that the facility has faced numerous government inspections, including one in 2020 when the Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) found evidence of alleged illlegal wildlife trafficking such as a severed tiger's head and other tiger parts.

The farm is located in northern Thailand, close to the border with Communist Laos. The area, which sits on the Mekong River with multiple unofficial piers, is believed to be a hub for illegal wildlife transport.

WFFT said there are an estimated 1,700 captive tigers in Thailand. Many of them are said to be bred on tiger farms to be bred and shipped in neighbouring countries as exotic pets. Their body parts - including eyes, bones, and whiskers - are also used in controversial traditional Chinese medicine.