Fw: primfocus: Ibadan Zoo Director says, it's all a mix-up

[Guest guest]

-

" Shirley McGreal " <spm

<primfocus

Monday, December 09, 2002 10:18 AM

primfocus: Ibadan Zoo Director says, " it's all a mix-up "

 

 

> The story written by Chinedum Uwaegbulam appeared today in 9 December

issue

> of the Nigerian newspaper " The Guardian "

>

> www.ngrguardiannews.com

>

> Fg [Federal Government] wades into controversial export of four gorillas

to

> Malaysia

>

> By Chinedu Uwaegbulam

>

> CONTROVERSY last week continued to trail the illegal

> export of some four young gorillas from Nigeria to

> Malaysia 11 months ago, as the prospects of a landmark

> judicial intervention loomed large at the weekend.

>

> Apparently stirred by the growing international

> attention which the case has begun to attract, the

> Federal Government last week threatened prosecution of

> all official and individuals found to have been

> involved in the messy deal, while across the borders,

> both the Cameroonian and Nigerian government are

> demanding that DNA tests be conducted to determine the

> precise origins of the primates.

>

> Not done yet, the storm is also blowing through the

> grounds of the University of Ibadan zoological gardens

> - earlier implicated in the controversial affair where

> officials have been refuting allegations that the deal

> was a commercial transaction.

>

> International Primate Protection League (IPPL) had,

> earlier in the year brought the deal to global

> attention through the media, and an organised post

> card letter writing campaign targeted at the Nigerian,

> Cameroonian and Malaysian authorities. The group

> alleged that the animals were procured through

> commercial dealings as there is no captive gorilla

> breeding programme in Nigeria.

>

> Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Imo Okopido, in

> a statement at the Convention on International Trade

> in Endangered Species (CITES) held last month in

> Santiago, Chile, said all those involved will be

> investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices

> Commission (ICPC).

>

> " We took very seriously the gorilla smuggling

> incident, and the tarnishing of our country's image

> internationally. Accordingly, all persons involved -

> whether government officials or private individuals -

> will be investigated by the Independent Corrupt

> Practices Commission and if need be, Interpol will be

> invited to help track down the smuggling network, "

> Okopido stressed.

>

> According to the minister, the government has

> re-deployed CITES enforcement officers to Nigerian

> airports, seaports and border posts in a renewed

> effort to stamp out illegal importation and

> exportation of endangered species. He added that the

> officers will work in close collaboration with the

> Nigerian police, customs service, immigration service

> and other regulatory agencies.

>

> The minister explained that " gorillas are listed on

> Appendix 1 of CITES, which bans commercial trade.

> Documents and correspondence at my disposal clearly

> indicate that this unwholesome deal was an illegal

> commercial transaction and also that this was known to

> the directors of both zoos. "

>

> CITES export permit for five gorillas was signed by an

> individual who is not a member of the Nigerian CITES

> management authority and could not have been mandated

> to sign it in his then position as only himself have

> the authority to do so, the minister said.

> He added: " This collusion by high ranking officials

> in both governments is unpatriotic, very damaging to

> the reputations of both countries and damaging to the

> endangered species that they are employed to protect.

> It is important to realise that young gorillas are so

> sensitive to the stress of capture that even in

> experienced hands, 80 per cent of rescued orphans die.

> Thus to provide four living infants, at least 16

> infants probably died. "

>

> But Dr. (Mrs.) D.O. Akinboye, director of University

> of Ibadan zoological garden told The Guardian that the

> zoo does not catch, traffic, export or participate in

> commercial deals. The mix-up, which is interpreted as

> trafficking of gorillas, must have arisen from the

> planned, animal exchange programme between Ibadan zoo

> and Taiping zoo, which the media is now frustrating.

> The Taiping zoo was expected to send tigers, sun bears

> and other animals to Nigeria.

>

> " There had been an exchange programme dating some

> years back. An exchange programme is a programme

> without monetary involvement. An exchange programme

> between zoos is a normal programme, it is very much

> legal. It operates throughout the world and other

> universities. There is nothing illegal about it, its a

> very clean programme, " she said.

>

> Already, the Malaysian government had confiscated the

> gorillas after it received a CITES report that the

> animals were imported into Malaysia through false

> declarations in official documentation.

>

> Meanwhile, in a joint letter written to Mr. Willem

> Wijnsteckers, secretary-general of CITES, both Dr.

> Okopido and Mr. Denis Koulagna Koutou, director of

> wild life and protected areas in Cameroun stated.

> " We are both of the opinion that the four gorillas

> should be returned to their country of origin, and

> that this should be determined by the immediate

> scientific analysis of DNA samples.

>

> " Thus, we are writing to inform you that it is the

> wish of the Ministry of Environment of Nigeria, acting

> on behalf of the Nigerian government, and the CITES

> management authority of Cameroun, on behalf of the

> Cameroonian government, that the above mentioned four

> young gorillas be returned to a sanctuary in Africa

> (Cameroun, if the DNA confirms this as their country

> of origin). "

>

> CITES had wanted the confiscated gorillas to be sent

> to a centre or zoo in a third country still to be

> determined.

>

> The letter endorsed by Okopido and Kouton was copied

> to the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment

> in Malaysia, Mr. Law Hieng Ding, UNEP, and was

> forwarded for the information of the Great Ape

> Survival Project and Dr. Shirley McGreal of IPPL.

>

> Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) welcomed the

> DNA test and expressed " utter dismay " at the

> involvement of government officials including zoo

> attendants in facilitating the illicit trade. " Those

> charged with the responsibility of protecting

> Nigeria's natural resources should live up to their

> responsibilities, " they said.

>

> Dr. McGreal, chairperson of IPPL told The Guardian " it

> is very good news that Nigeria and Cameroun have

> agreed to the return of the " Taiping Four " gorillas to

> Africa and have demanded DNA testing of the animals.

> Many zoos are anxious to get a bonanza of a million

> dollars worth of free gorillas and the accompanying

> glory and publicity, without the zoos having done any

> of the work on this case like IPPL and others have

> since learning of the shipment in March 2002.

>

> " Obviously, the sanctuary option is more suitable for

> a variety of reasons. I wonder if zoos are as anxious

> to take in more " boring species than gorillas, " she

> queried.

>

> Mr Wijnstekers, CITES secretary-general said " gorillas

> are so highly endangered that every criminal

> transaction such as the one uncovered here can have an

> impact on their future. The laws are in place, we must

> now rely on all governments to tighten their

> enforcement controls and do everything in their power

> to stamp out illegal wildlife trade. "

>

> CITES officials promised to issue an alert to all

> national CITES management authorities as well as

> Interpol and the world customs organisation to help

> enforce its regulations. CITES has over 160 members

> and illegal wildlife trade continued to pose a major

> threat to the survival of many highly endangered

> plants and animals.

>

> An investigative report released by Malaysian

> officials reveals that the Taiping zoo applied to the

> CITES authorities of Malaysia to import five gorillas

> for breeding and exhibition purpose, but the Malaysian

> CITES management authority being aware of the trade

> involving Appendix I had taken the necessary actions

> to comply to Article III of the convention.

>

> Besides, the Malaysian authorities also considered the

> suitability of the zoo for keeping the gorillas, and

> took into account its experience in breeding other

> primates.

>

> Besides, based on the information provided by the

> University of Ibadan zoological gardens which

> confirmed that the gorillas were captive-bred animals,

> Malaysian CITES management authority issued CITES

> import permit to enable Taiping zoo to import the

> gorillas.

>

> The finding also indicated that a forwarding agent,

> Messrs Nigercom Solution sdn. Bhd, was also hired to

> execute the exchange and that the Malaysian CITES

> officials received a copy of the Nigerian export

> permit prior to the actual importation.

>

> The permit was issued by the authorised CITES

> management authority of Nigeria, which 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. "

>

> The Malaysian officials further disclosed that

> although the Nigerian CITES permit was valid, the

> information on the permit was false.

>

> Action has therefore been taken to conform to CITES

> procedures as far as illegal trade in CITES-listed

> species are concerned.

>

> " 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 wild life Act 1972 agreed that

> the gorillas be sent to a facility which is capable to

> keep and breed the animals. "

>

> According to Dr. McGreal, " we are pleased that this

> affair reached the highest level of the Malaysian

> government and that the minister personally

> intervened. If the Taiping zoo had been allowed to

> place the gorillas on exhibit, other unethical zoos

> might have tried to get the gorillas. The minister's

> action has sent a strong message that the reckless

> actions of the zoo brought Malaysia a bad reputation. "

>

> She added " we had help from a lot of Malaysians. It is

> a victory for gorillas as a specie and for Africa as a

> continent. Demand for smuggled gorillas may lessen.

> Mother gorillas can sleep a little more safely at

> night. "

>

> IPPL advised that governments should ask for help from

> CITES secretariat before accepting the import of live

> specimens of Appendix I species declared as breeding captivity.

>

>

>

> Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman, International Primate Protection League

> POB 766 Summerville SC 29484 USA

> Phone: 843-871-2280 Fax: 843-871-7988

> E-mail spm or ippl

> Visit IPPL's award-winning web site: <http://www.ippl.org>

>

> " Daddy, tell me why they drip

> Acid on that puppy's lip

> Also in that monkey's eye

> Tell me, Daddy, why oh why? "

> " Hush my little son, be brave -

> They are testing after-shave "

>

>