South African NSPCAs call for gorillas to go to Cameroon

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MEDIA STATEMENT

ISSUED ON THURSDAY 24 DECEMBER 2003

CONTACT RICK ALLAN ON 011-907-3590 OR 084 408 8700

FROM OUTSIDE SOUTH AFRICA +27-11-907-3590 OR +27 84 408 8700

 

 

GORILLAS IN THE MIDST

 

NSPCA STANCE: " SEND THEM BACK WHERE THEY BELONG. "

 

Four gorillas were smuggled from Cameroon to Nigeria and exported via South

Africa on fraudulent captive-born documents to Taiping Zoo in Malaysia. The

whistle was blown on this scam and now the future of the " Taiping Four " is

the centre of a controversy.

 

It was reported that the government of Malaysia has decided that the

gorillas should come to South Africa. Pretoria Zoo (against whom the NSPCA

recently laid criminal charges) is allegedly set to receive the gorillas.

It currently only has one gorilla and five others have died there. The

facility at the Pretoria Zoo for these gorillas is currently being built

but is not complete.

 

South Africa has no native gorillas. The NSPCA believes the gorillas should

go back where they belong to Cameroon where the Limbe Wildlife Centre can

accommodate them.

 

The NSPCA was saddened to receive confirmation in a communication from

Sonja Meintjes, Assistant Director; Trade and Regulation, Office of the

CITES Management Authority, South Africa: -

 

" We as Management authority is (sic) happy that Malaysia have taken the

recommendations into account before they made their decision to send the

animals to Pretoria Zoo. "

 

The NSPCA is far from happy and issues the letter below to the media in its

entirety, as was sent to the relevant authorities in Malaysia and " copied "

to South African role-players, including Ms Meinjies.

 

To the Chief of Malaysia's Wildlife Department; - Musa Nordin

 

Dear Sir

 

 

POSITION STATEMENT

 

The National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

(NSPCA) representing 102 individual SPCAs in South Africa with their

constituent members plus affiliated SPCAs in neighbouring Botswana,

Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique advises: -

 

We believe that the gorillas now known as the " Taiping Four " must be

returned to their country of origin - Cameroon.

 

The NSPCA opposes any option to relocate them to South Africa.

 

Our standpoint can be supported with various reasons but we do not wish to

enter into trial by correspondence at this stage. The NSPCA believes the

time is right to make our stance known to you and to place this on public

record.

 

If we understand correctly that the Government of Malaysia has decided the

gorillas should come to South Africa, we feel it is only fair that you are

told that we are the largest animal welfare organisation which enforces 93%

of animal welfare legislation in South Africa - oppose this.

 

The NSPCA is aware of the gathering momentum of public pressure and of

lobbying from animal welfare and animal rights organisations throughout the

world on this issue. The NSPCA is a member of the World Society for the

Protection of Animals (WSPA) and of the Species Survival Network (SSN).

 

We concur with their sentiments that South Africa should gracefully defer

to the wishes of the Cameroon government and should assist in the

repatriation of the gorillas to Cameroon.

 

The NSPCA formally appeals to the officials of the government of Malaysia

to pay heed to our calls for sense and compassion to prevail. South Africa

has no native gorillas and so, as exotic animals in our country, they would

be doomed to a life in captivity and in a country which does not have a

successful track record with gorillas.

 

We ask for your indulgence in that we believe so powerful is the sentiment

of our message that we are sending copies of this communication to relevant

parties, including South African government representatives.

 

The NSPCA believes it is of vital importance that our stance is made known.

We shall go public with our stance and shall lobby to bring influence to

bear upon relevant parties.

 

With regards

 

Yours faithfully

 

Marcelle Meredith

 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - National Council of SPCAs

 

DIRECTOR , World Society for the Protection of Animals