Malaysia's feeble defense of gorilla deal!

[Guest guest]

This is the statement released to the press at the press conference held on

13 November during the CITES conference in Santiago, Chile. The press

conference was summoned by Nigerian's Minister of State for the

Environment. Two Malaysians were also on the panel.

 

A reporter asked the Malaysians on the panel whether it was true that the

Taiping Zoo had paid $400,000 US per gorilla (the price on the Odukoya

price-list displayed by the Nigerian Minister). The Malaysian gave a price

in ringgit of around $25,000 per gorilla. This showed that money had

changed hands and that the shipment was commercial - and hence in direct

violation of CITES rules on Appendix I species. The CITES handbook (12.27)

instructs governments to " ask for the Secretariat's advice before accepting

the import of live specimens of Appendix I species declared as bred in

captivity. " This was not done in the case of the gorillas. Further, no

" exchange " animals have yet been shipped to Nigeria, over ten months after

the gorillas reached Malaysia.

 

One of the five gorillas on the permit was not shipped and may have died as

a keeper at Ibadan Zoo reported the deaths of many of the gorillas reaching

Ibadan Zoo from Cameroon.

 

IPPL would oppose the four gorillas going to a zoo as suggested by the

Malaysians. I heard at CITES that lots of zoos would love to get their

hands on these animals. They don't line up for common species that get

confiscated. Shirley McGreal

 

-----------------Malaysian comments--------------

 

Import of Four Gorillas by Taiping Zoo

 

The Issues

 

1. Taiping Zoo imported four gorillas from University of Ibadan Zoological

Gardens in January 2002 as part of an animal exchange programme between the

two zoos.

 

2. However in April 2002, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks was

bombarded with information regarding alleged illegal practices concerning

the acquisition of the gorillas.

 

3. The allegation stated that since Nigeria has no captive-bred gorillas,

it was suggested that the animals were captured from the wild and smuggled

into Nigeria and exported to Malaysia.

 

4. CITES secretariat requested Malaysia to investigate the matter and

report back the findings.

 

The Background

 

1. Taiping Zoo applied to the CITES authorities of Malaysia to import five

gorillas for breeding and exhibition purposes.

 

2. The Malaysian CITES Management Authority being aware of the trade

involving Appendix I has taken the necessary actions to comply to Article

III of the Convention.

 

3. Besides that Malaysian authorities also considered the suitability of

Taiping Zoo to keep the gorillas taking into account the zoo's experience

in breeding other primates.

 

4. Based on the information provided by the University of Ibadan Zoological

Gardens which confirm the gorillas were captive-bred animals, Malaysian

CITES Management authority issued CITES import permit to enable Taiping Zoo

to import the gorillas.

 

5. In order to execute the animal exchange Taiping Zoo appointed a

forwarding agent, NigerCom Solutions Sdn. Bhd. to handle the exchange. The

appointment of forwarders to handle animal exchange between Malaysian zoos

and overseas zoos is the usual way animal exchange is done.

 

6. The Malaysian CITES Management Authority received a copy of the Nigerian

export permit prior to the actual importation.

 

7. The permit was issued by the authorized CITES Management Authority of

Nigeria and again indicated the gorillas were captive-bred from University

of Ibadan. Malaysia accepted the permit in good faith and never doubted the

authenticity of the document as it was issued by the appointed authority.

 

8. On 18 January 2002, four gorillas were imported into Malaysia and were

transferred to Taiping Zoo.

 

9. Then only in April the CITES authorities of Malaysia started receiving

information about the alleged malpractice regarding the exchange of the

gorillas from NGO's and CITES secretariat.

 

THE ACTION TAKEN

 

1. Being aware of the sensitivity of the issues brought up by the

secretariat and the NGO's, the CITES management authority carried out an

investigation to address the issues.

 

2. The investigation showed that although the Nigerian CITES permit was

valid, the information on the permit was false.

 

3. Taking into account of the result of the investigation and advise by the

CITES secretariat, Malaysia took action to conform to CITES procedures as

far as illegal trade in CITES-listed species is concerned.

 

4. The Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment being the

authority to decide on matters relating to the fate of a totally protected

species under the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 agreed that the gorillas

be sent to a facility which is capable to keep and breed the animals.