46 Orangutans disappeared from Safariworld - Thailand!

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46 Orangutans disappear from Safariworld

 

 

Bangkok Friday 30th July 2004 –

Forestry Police officials once again raided Safariworld Zoo in Bangkok to

officially confiscate the 115 orangutans that were found previously during the

first raid on November 22nd

2003. The Orangutans are believed to be illegally

obtained, a crime under the Wildlife Preservation Act of Thailand and a

violation of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of

Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) of which Thailand is one of

the signatories. Forestry Police Commander Major-General Swake Pinsinchai also

ordered Safariworld to stop the daily shows involving the orang utans from

taking place. The Forestry Police Department is part of the National Police

Bureau and is not the Royal Forestry Department.

 

During the official inspection of the premises by officials

and representatives of several NGO’s it was discovered that only 69 out

of the original 115 orang utans were still remaining at Safariworld. No

explanation was offered by the management concerning the whereabouts of the

missing 46 orang utans.

 

Representatives of the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry, the Borneo

Orangutan Survival Foundation, the Wildlife Friends Thailand, Profauna

Indonesia, Thai Animal Guardians Association and Monkeyworld UK, were

present during the official raid and count of the orangutans. All have

expressed grave concern for the well-being of all the missing orangutans and

the ones still at Safariworld who, although confiscated, have to remain in

their present unsatisfactory enclosures as the Royal Forestry Department do not

have the facilities to care for them.

 

The disappearance of the 46 orangutans will no doubt cause

an international outcry amongst conservationists and animal welfare

organizations worldwide.

 

ENDS