More on Safari World orangutans

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Bangkok Post, 30 July

SAFARI WORLD ORANGUTANS

 

Indonesians call for joint probe into park

 

Investigators chided for failing to act

 

Kultida Samabuddhi

 

Senior forestry officers and conservationists from Indonesia have called

for a joint inquiry into Safari World animal park, which has been accused

of smuggling orangutans from Indonesia.

 

Widodo Ramono, director of Indonesia's Ministry of Forestry, expressed

concern yesterday over the welfare of 110 orangutans at Safari World, in an

outer Bangkok suburb, where some are trained to perform in shows as Thai

boxers.

 

He called on the forestry police and other agencies to step up the

investigation and find out from where the apes originated.

 

``First, the Thai authorities must confiscate the orangutans from Safari

World as soon as possible so that scientists can conduct the DNA tests,''

he said.

 

Mr Ramono, accompanied by Indonesian wildlife experts and officials,

yesterday met the Forestry Police chief, Maj-Gen Sawek Pinsinchai.

 

Mr Ramono said that under Indonesian law, orangutans could be take from the

country for conservation and research purposes, as well as for exhibition.

But must be returned to Indonesia afterward [THERE USED TO BE AN INDONESIAN

PRESIDENTIAL BAN ON ALL EXPORT OF ORANGUTANS, ESTABLISHED IN THE 1930s].

 

The visiting Indonesians asked to visit the apes at Safari World, but

police said this would require permission from the amusement park. The

investigation was continuing and Safari World remained the legal owner of

the animals until there was clear evidence of an offence.

 

Police remain sceptical of Safari World's claim that it bred 96 offspring

from the 14 orangutans it had 12 years ago [AND WHERE DID THESE 14 COME FROM?].

 

Willie Smits, chairman of the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation, said

the Safari World scandal was the biggest case of alleged orangutan

smuggling that Indonesia had come across.

 

Mr Smits said the case was a wakeup call for the governments of this region

to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife species.

 

He was upset by the apparent sluggishness of Thai authorities in

investigating the matter [THIS SLUGGISHNESS WAS SHOWN IN 2000 WHEN THE

BANGKOK ZOO IMPORTED A SHIPMENT OF COLOBUS MONKEYS SMUGGLED FROM THAILAND -

THE IMPORTER WAS A THAI DEALER NAMED CHATICHAI BOONHAMMER, AKA " LEK. " ALL

OR MOST DIED OR WERE KILLED - THE TANZANIAN SUPPLIER WAS NEVER IDENTIFIED].

 

Mr Smits said his organisation was ready to pay the cost of DNA tests and

for the transportation of the apes back to Indonesia.

 

``DNA test results which will help the authorities to identify the origin

of these orangutans could be completed within six weeks,'' he said.

 

``The Indonesian side is ready to give full support, but when will Thai

officials do something?''

 

 

International Primate Protection League

PO Box 766, Summerville, SC 29484, USA

Phone - 843-871-2280, Fax- 843-871-7988

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

 

Would you like to help support IPPL's own ape sanctuary? Now you can

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gibbon (Courtney, Beanie, Arun Rangsi--or a gibbon of your choice). Just visit

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