Beyonce and Jay-Z blasted by wildlife expert for treating baby tiger as 'plaything'

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been criticised by a wildlife expert after a photo was released showing the pair and their daughter Blue-Ivy petting a baby tiger while holidaying in Thailand.

The picture surfaced four days ago on ‘Beylite’ - a fan site for the Crazy in Love singer – alongside the caption: “Beyoncé, Jay Z & Blue #Thailand.”

Dr. Jan Schmidt-Burbach, a wildlife expert for animal welfare charity World Animal Protection said: "A tiger is not a plaything. Their health and well-being should not be sacrificed for a photo opportunity. When you look behind the scenes, holiday snaps like these support an industry that relies on animal cruelty.

"Many tourists unwittingly contribute to the suffering of wild animals like these. They're simply not aware that their 'once in a lifetime' photo means a lifetime of misery for that animal.

"The tigers used for these photos are often crammed into tiny cages or chained to the floor for long periods. They are also forcibly removed from their mothers to be fed artificially by tourists. All in all a far cry from their natural lives in the wild. But this sordid side of tourism is conveniently hidden from public view."

The pair – who have yet to respond to the statement – have been keeping fans up-to-date with their travels in Cambodia and Thailand.

They dropped by the FantaSea performance in Phuket, Thailand and were spotted exploring Cambodia's Buddhist temple, Angkor Wat.