Fw: primfocus: Taiping Zoo won't exhibit gorillas

[Guest guest]

Gee, does this mean the other animals at Taiping are exposed to visitors'

germs??

 

Jane

 

-

" Linda J. Howard " <lindajhoward

" Primfocus " <primfocus

Monday, July 28, 2003 7:04 AM

primfocus: Taiping Zoo won't exhibit gorillas

 

 

>

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2003/7/28/nation/5935709 & sec=nati

> on

> Taiping Zoo won't exhibit gorillas

> Monday, July 28, 2003

> BY RASLAN BAHAROM

>

> TAIPING: The four baby gorillas illegally sourced from Nigeria will not be

> displayed to the public for fear that visitors may pass on infections to

the

> animals, said Taiping Municipal Council president Datuk Jamalludin Al

Amini

> Ahmad.

>

> " If we display them to visitors, they may get infected and we will get

into

> trouble, " he said on Saturday when responding to calls by the Taiping

> Tourist Association to display the animals to the public.

>

> Association secretary Anuar Isa had said that by displaying the animals,

the

> zoo could increase gate collections and help recover money spent in

bringing

> the animals from Nigeria.

>

> Since their arrival at the zoo here in February, the four animals were

> placed under quarantine at a fenced-up area. Their handlers were required

to

> disinfect themselves before entering the animals' enclosure.

>

> On the RM600,000 glass enclosure built to display the baby gorillas at the

> zoo, Jamalludin said it would be used to keep other animals.

>

> Jamalludin said the animals' departure was being arranged with the help of

> the National Park and Wildlife Department and the Science, Technology and

> Environment Ministry.

> The International Primate Protection League had in September claimed that

> the primates were illegally purchased for US$1.6mil (RM6.08mil) from a

> Nigerian.

>

> The group said this contravened the Convention of International Trade of

> Endangered Species, of which Nigeria and Malaysia were signatories.

>

> Following a disclosure by Science, Technology and Environment Minister

Datuk

> Seri Law Hieng Ding on July 8 that the animals were illegally sourced from

> Nigeria, the Cabinet directed that the gorillas be sent to the National

> Zoological Gardens of South Africa in Pretoria.

>

>