Guest guest Posted November 27, 2003 Report Share Posted November 27, 2003 Scientists assail the culling of the famed Barbary macaques, whose mischief led to their downfall Photo Gibraltar's Barbary macaques (AP photo by Lisa Marie Pane) By James Janega Tribune staff reporter Published November 23, 2003 Scientists say the Barbary macaque monkeys who live on the Rock of Gibraltar are a rare population vital to primate research. But to local tourism officials they have become a nuisance--an aggressive, 30-pound nuisance with a dangerous taste for chocolate and a flair for theft. The dispute has pitted the government of Gibraltar--which ordered 27 of the monkeys killed this summer--against researchers, who maintain the macaques would have returned to the hills if townspeople could resist offering them junk food. Robert Martin, vice president of Chicago's Field Museum, spent eight years studying one 60-member macaque group before the summertime cull cut its numbers in half. Martin said officials killed the monkeys without calling him or the head of the group managing the population. In protest, Martin has withdrawn from field research on Gibraltar. He is even boycotting the macaque conference he organized there this month. " I give up, " said Martin. " There's no point in continuing. They destroyed what we were doing. " The government says the monkeys started it. For whatever reason, probably overcrowding on top of the Rock, a troop of them scampered down from the hills this summer and descended on the small fishing and tourist town of Catalan Bay. Once there, officials said the macaques were like college students on spring break. Wildlife experts tried to lure them back to their home with a trail of cookies and peanuts. They tried to scare them out of town by brandishing blowguns used to anesthetize them in the past. Nothing worked for long. full story: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0311230446nov23,1,6377424.story?col\ l=chi-news-hed Every living, feeling creature deserves the right to live free from torture, mutilation, slaughter, and exploitation. - Defend Animal Rights - _____________ AR-News mailing list AR-News You can or change your options at: http://lists.envirolink.org/mailman/listinfo/ar-news To to AR-News, please visit www.AR-News.org Net: La mejor conexión a internet y 25MB extra a tu correo por $100 al mes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 27, 2003 Report Share Posted November 27, 2003 Dear Natalia, Thank you for posting to AAPN. But please note that AAPN is intended only for Asian news and discussion. Please do not post items concerning events in Western countries - AAPN readers wishing to read such news have other channels to hear such things, eg AR-NEWS. And thank you for your Thanksgiving greetings but no one in Asia celebrates this holiday. With best wishes. John, Web Manager, Asian Animal Protection Network http://www.aapn.org/ - " N a t a l i a CG " <sofronista <aapn > Friday, November 28, 2003 1:47 AM Killing of monkeys rocks Gibraltar Scientists assail the culling of the famed Barbary macaques, whose mischief led to their downfall Photo Gibraltar's Barbary macaques (AP photo by Lisa Marie Pane) By James Janega Tribune staff reporter Published November 23, 2003 Scientists say the Barbary macaque monkeys who live on the Rock of Gibraltar are a rare population vital to primate research. But to local tourism officials they have become a nuisance--an aggressive, 30-pound nuisance with a dangerous taste for chocolate and a flair for theft. The dispute has pitted the government of Gibraltar--which ordered 27 of the monkeys killed this summer--against researchers, who maintain the macaques would have returned to the hills if townspeople could resist offering them junk food. Robert Martin, vice president of Chicago's Field Museum, spent eight years studying one 60-member macaque group before the summertime cull cut its numbers in half. Martin said officials killed the monkeys without calling him or the head of the group managing the population. In protest, Martin has withdrawn from field research on Gibraltar. He is even boycotting the macaque conference he organized there this month. " I give up, " said Martin. " There's no point in continuing. They destroyed what we were doing. " The government says the monkeys started it. For whatever reason, probably overcrowding on top of the Rock, a troop of them scampered down from the hills this summer and descended on the small fishing and tourist town of Catalan Bay. Once there, officials said the macaques were like college students on spring break. Wildlife experts tried to lure them back to their home with a trail of cookies and peanuts. They tried to scare them out of town by brandishing blowguns used to anesthetize them in the past. Nothing worked for long. full story: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-0311230446nov23,1,6377424.story?col\ l=chi-news-hed Every living, feeling creature deserves the right to live free from torture, mutilation, slaughter, and exploitation. - Defend Animal Rights - _____________ AR-News mailing list AR-News You can or change your options at: http://lists.envirolink.org/mailman/listinfo/ar-news To to AR-News, please visit www.AR-News.org Net: La mejor conexión a internet y 25MB extra a tu correo por $100 al mes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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