Govts want DNA tests on baby gorillas

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http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2002/11/16/nation/hrniger & sec=nat

ion

 

Govts want DNA tests on baby gorillas

By HILARY CHIEW

Saturday, November 16, 2002

 

PETALING JAYA: The Nigerian and Cameroon governments want DNA testing to be

carried out immediately on the four baby gorillas in the Taiping Zoo to

ascertain their country of origin.

 

Nigerian Environment Minister Dr Imeh T. Okopido said if it could be

ascertained that the baby primates belonged to the species found in

Cameroon, the animals should be sent there.

 

He and an unnamed Cameroon delegation chief to the 12th Conference of

Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

(Cites) in Santiago, Chile jointly signed a letter to Science, Technology

and Environment Minister Datuk Law Hieng Ding on Thursday requesting for the

DNA testing to be carried out.

 

He said Nigeria concurred with the United Nations’ recommendation that the

primates be sent to the nearest government-approved facility in the country

of origin.

 

“It is my candid appeal that the four gorillas be returned to their country

of origin in Africa. Sending them to a zoo in another country sends a

message that wild-caught gorillas can still enter foreign zoos, and those

zoos will benefit from their arrival.

 

“The education value of captive gorillas is most needed in their country of

origin.

 

“Returning confiscated animals to their country of origin sends a message to

potential buyers that they will lose money if they risk such illegal deals,”

said Dr Okopido in the press statement issued to The Star on the sidelines

of the on-going conference.

 

Malaysia, in acknowledging that it was duped into believing that the four

baby gorillas were captive-bred, the only means where this great ape could

be traded, had proposed to the Cites Secretariat to have the animals send to

a captive-breeding facility to acquire their off-spring in future.

 

All four great apes are listed in Appendix I of Cites which prohibits their

international trade due to their endangered status in the wild.

 

Dr Okopido pointed out that documents at his disposal indicated that the

transaction was illegal as US$1.6mil (RM6.08mil) was involved which was

further confirmed by Perak science, environment, health and technology

committee chairman Datuk Ho Cheng Wang who reportedly said the Taiping Zoo

“bought the gorillas in good faith”.

 

Dr Okopido said the smuggling incident had tarnished Nigeria’s image and as

a result, all persons involved, whether government officials or private

individuals would be investigated and Interpol would be asked to help track

down the smuggling network.

 

He claimed that at a conservative estimate, 56 gorillas have died in the

poaching of the four infants.