35 of the 41 missing orangutans found by Thai Forestry Police

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PRESS

RELEASE

 

For immediate release

 

 

Bangkok 13-08-2004 - Thai Forestry Police officers have today found 35 of the

41 missing orangutans at Safariworld hidden in small enclosures behind the show

area of the orangutan boxing stadium. The search was ordered today after

Edwin Wiek, director of the Wildlife

Friends Rescue

Center in Petchaburi

received a tip-off that orangutans were being moved (back) into Safariworld

Zoo. Forestry Police will on Monday

the 16th contact the Department of National Parks to discuss the

removal of the orangutans from Safariworld and start procedures to check the

DNA of the involved apes to determine their origin. The Safariworld management

still denies any wrongdoing and claims all (95) juvenile orangutans of the 115

found in November 2003 were born at the zoo over the last 20 years.

 

The discovery today of all but a few of the missing

orangutans is good news for the authorities as international pressure worldwide

is mounting on the issue of these allegedly illegally obtained orangutans.

Organizations such as the IPPL (International Primate Protection League) and

the BOSF (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation) have been actively campaigning

side by side with the Wildlife Friends of Thailand to investigate, create awareness,

and work towards confiscation and possible repatriation of these apes.

 

In which facility other than Safariworld the animals will be

held and under what conditions is not yet known and is still a point of

concern. Most likely a Wildlife Breeding and Research Center

of the Department of National Parks (formerly “Royal Forestry

Department”) will be chosen as the temporary holding facility during the

(probably lengthy) legal procedures. Question rises if the overcrowded breeding

centers will be able to accommodate such a large amount of apes, and help from

the Indonesian side is already offered in caring for the animals.

 

Edwin Wiek

Wildlife Friends of Thailand

edwin.wiek

Wildlife Rescue Center

Kao Look Chang – Petchaburi

THAILAND

+66 (0)32-458135