FWD: Contributing to demise of gorillas

[Guest guest]

This message was forwarded to you by yitzeling.

 

Comment from sender:

 

 

This article is from The Star Online

URL:

http://thestar.com.my/lifestyle/story.asp?file=/2003/8/12/features/6005490 & sec=f\

eatures

 

________________________

 

Tuesday, August 12, 2003

Contributing to demise of gorillas

 

 

THE views reflected in <a

href= " http://202.186.86.35/news/storyx1000.asp?file=/2003/8/5/features/5941966 & s\

ec= " >Dr Rizal Roy Sirimanne & #8217;s letter</a> (Speaking Up, Aug 5) are

shockingly naive and illustrate a profound lack of understanding, let alone

sensitivity, to the horrors which brought those four gorillas to the “lovely”

Taiping Zoo in the first place.

 

To suggest it & #8217;s a “twist of fate” which will take these gorillas away

from Taiping, instead of the consequences of a horrific crime perpetrated by

some people on behalf of the Taiping Zoo, only illustrates further a disregard

for the lives of these gorillas and their species, and the inability or

unwillingness to acknowledge that a crime has taken place.

 

This is not about whether or not gorillas are suitable animals for Asian zoos.

(I think they are, given the proper cooperative channels.) This is about a crime

caused by the Taiping Zoo & #8217;s urgency to have gorillas in their midst.

 

Conservative estimates are that up to 10 or 20 gorillas were killed to secure

each one of the four infant gorillas now known as the Taiping Four. No free

living gorilla family would let hunters capture a baby, without first giving a

ferocious fight to protect their family, including giving their own life.

 

To suggest now the spoils of this crime should stay with the criminals to

enhance their zoo is insulting to the memories of all the gorillas slaughtered

in this crime, as well as crimes of the past. To allow the Taiping Four to

remain in Taiping is to send a message to other zoos in the world that

it & #8217;s okay to ignore CITES laws, to disregard respect for life and liberty

of these animals, and to pretend you & #8217;re doing something noble when in

fact, you are contributing to the demise of this endangered species.

 

These gorillas should not go to Pretoria Zoo either, since that zoo & #8217;s

record of keeping gorillas is dismal, at best. The gorillas should be returned

to their country of origin, Cameroon, where a sanctuary remains able and willing

to take them in, to provide a good life for them with as much freedom as

captivity will allow them.

 

Indeed, if the “crown jewels” of Malaysia were stolen by Country A and

confiscated by Country B, wouldn & #8217;t Malaysians demand that their prized

heritage be returned to their country? Why indeed should Country C be given the

jewels?

 

If Dr Sirimanne and others like him really have the best interest of these

gorillas in mind, they will make an example of the criminals which embarrassed

their country in the eyes of the world, and send the gorillas home to Cameroon.

 

Jane Dewar, Founder, Gorilla Haven; President, Dewar Wildlife Trust; Publisher,

Gorilla Gazette, United States

 

<a href= " http://www.gorilla-haven.org " target= " _blank " >www.gorilla-haven.org</a>

 

<p>

 

________________________

Your one-stop information portal:

The Star Online

http://thestar.com.my

http://biz.thestar.com.my

http://classifieds.thestar.com.my

http://cards.thestar.com.my

http://search.thestar.com.my

http://star-motoring.com

http://star-space.com

http://star-jobs.com

http://star-ecentral.com

http://star-techcentral.com

 

1995-2003 Star Publications (Malaysia) Bhd. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written

permission of Star Publications is prohibited.