Nigerian Press covers Malaysian gorilla scandal

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From the 5 January 2004 issue of the Guardian, Lagos, Nigeria

 

Activists protest as " Taiping Four " gorillas head to South Africa

By Chinedu Uwaegbulam,

Housing & Environment Correspondent

 

Amidst protest from conservationists and international groups, Malaysian

government will this month make good its promise to send the controversial

four gorillas smuggled out of Nigeria to South Africa, after it was

discovered that were imported into the country with false documents.

Officials of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species

(CITES) had given their blessing to the deal between Malaysia and the

Pretoria Zoo, when it learnt that Cameroon authorities gave its permission.

The officials later denied this.

John Sellar, senior enforcement officer of the legislation and

compliance unit, CITES " It is correct that the secretariat wrote to

Cameroon but we certainly did not insist on anything. Our correspondence

asked for clarification about the situation because of the conflicting

messages we were receiving. We have not received a response. It is

currently my understanding that Malaysia is preparing the gorillas for

shipment to Pretoria Zoo. I believe the shipment may take this month. I

may have reason to travel to Cameroon, which I hope will provide me with an

opportunity to learn more about what has occurred.

However, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of

Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA), representing 102 societies in South Africa and

affiliates from the neighbouring Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and Mozambique

as well as the Canadian Primate Rescue have renewed the campaign against

the importation of the animals to South Africa.

" 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 percent of animals' 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. " 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

records, " according to Marcelle Meredith, executive director, NSPCA and

director, World Society for the Protection of Animals.

The groups are joining the International Primate Protection League

(IPPL), which has been in the forefront of the fight to send back the

animals to its country of origin. Gorillas are listed on appendix 1 of the

Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species, which bans

commercial trade in the primates.

When it was discovered that the gorillas had been exported under

dubious means, Malaysian authorities indicated that the animals would be

confiscated.

The Pretoria Zoo currently has only one gorilla and five others have

died. The facility at the Pretoria Zoo for these gorillas is currently

being built but is not complete. South Africa has no native gorillas. The

IPPL, who wanted the animals returned to Cameroon or Nigeria, had expressed

doubts that Pretoria Zoo was the perfect place for them to go, as three of

the zoo's four gorillas had died. Two babies born at the zoo had also died

before reaching the age of one month.

Meredith said: " 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. "

Mr. Jean Martin votes to send the gorillas to Cameroon's Limbe Wildlife

Centre was based on its impressive track record. " Limbe cares for a

thriving healthy gorilla group used as the core animals for an educational

programme to teach the people of Cameroon to cherish animals, " he said.

From his understanding, Martin disclosed an official of the Government

of South Africa made a telephone call to the CITES Secretariat claiming

that the Government of Cameroon had agreed that the gorillas should go to

South Africa. " The Cameroonian official who reportedly made this agreement,

however, has repeatedly denied making such concession, " he said.

He added that it is possible that an unclear telephone line caused the

South African official to believe that Cameroon was happy about the

gorillas going to Pretoria. " In any case, a report of a telephone call does

not have any legal significance in the absence of legally binding

documents, " he said.

 

 

Dr. Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman

International Primate Protection League

POB 766, Summerville SC 29484-0766, USA

Ph. 843-871-2280 Fax. 843-871-7988

E-mail: smcgreal, Website www.ippl.org

 

" We need not think alike to love alike. " Francis David