More Orangutans to be confiscated in Thailand , DNA tests to go ahead on Safariworld apes

[Guest guest]

For immediate release

 

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

 

 

7th September 2004

 

 

 

 

 

On Monday the 6th of September a meeting was held in Bangkok to discuss the

ongoing case of the allegedly illegally held orang-utans at Safariworld zoo.

Those present included officials of the Forestry Police Department and the

Department of National Parks, and representatives from Kasetsart University,

Safariworld zoo, the Thai A.G.A, the Wildlife Friends of Thailand and the

Borneo Orang-utan Survival Foundation. The subject of the meeting was the

forthcoming DNA testing of the Safariworld orang-utans to determine whether

or not the allegedly illegally obtained young apes were born at the zoo as

claimed by zoo officials.

 

 

 

Representatives of Safariworld are now claiming that some of the young apes

were in fact donated and therefore being held illegally. They made it clear

that they only want DNA testing to be carried out on the supposedly " legal "

individuals. Furthermore, in an apparent attempt to stall the commencement

of DNA testing even further, Safariworld staff expressed great concerns

about the danger of the DNA testing to the animals' health due to the use of

anaesthetics, and their fear that some animals may die during the process.

 

 

 

However, the officials from the Department of National Parks and the

Forestry Police, along with the representatives and experts from all the

NGOs involved with the investigation, all agreed that all the apes should be

tested to determine their true origins. However both the DNP and the

Forestry Police admitted that they do not have sufficient resources to fund

the testing of all individuals. The Borneo Orang-utan Survival Foundation

once again offered to cover all costs of the DNA check, and all NGOs are

prepared to assist with the practicalities of the testing.

 

 

 

During the course of the meeting it became apparent that officials from the

Forestry Police were unhappy with the slow response of the Department of

National Parks following their initial investigations and frustrated with

the continued inaction on the part of the DNP in following this and other

cases through.

 

 

 

Last Friday Safariworld's appointed vet, Mr. Chatmongkol Pratcharoenwanich,

appeared in court facing charges of making false statements to the police.

After confessing to the chargers he was sentenced to a six month suspended

jail term and ordered to pay a 3,000 baht fine and is on two years

probation.

 

 

 

The ongoing case of the Safariworld case highlights the continuing problems

of illegal wildlife trading and smuggling in Thailand. There are still many

reported cases of illegally imported animals of protected species being held

at various establishments that are awaiting investigation. At the meeting

DNP officials bowed to pressure from NGOS and stated that on the 7th of

September they will officially confiscate all illegally held orang-utans

from the Lopburi Zoo. Official complaints were made concerning the plight of

these illegally held apes several months ago to the DNP but have so far not

be acted upon.

 

 

 

 

 

ENDS