Another victim of the Illegal Wildlife Trade

[Guest guest]

Another helpless victim of the Illegal Wildlife Trade

 

Petchaburi, Thailand November 24, 2004 On the evening of Tuesday the 23rd of

November a sick and injured baby white-handed gibbon (Hylobates Lar) was

brought in to the Wildlife Rescue Center of the Wildlife Friends of Thailand

in Petchaburi province which gives refuge to over 150 rescued wild animals.

 

Gibbon babies are still popular with some people as pets in Thailand, even

though the possession of this endangered species is illegal and babies can

only be obtained by hunting and killing their parents. In many cases the

babies die alongside their mothers and hunters will try to find another

gibbon family to obtain their prey. It is estimated that over 10 wild

gibbons get killed to obtain just one baby.

 

The newly rescued baby we called " Tua Rohd " (Survivor) is just one more

victim of this illegal trade. Tua Rohd is a 6 month old gibbon baby that is

in a critical condition after weeks of malnutrition and insufficient care.

Although the taking in of injured and maltreated wild animals is a very

common occurrence at the rescue center, this case is a particularly sad one

due to the serious condition the little gibbon was found to be in.

 

For a picture of Tua Rohd: <http://www.wfft.org/survivor.htm>

http://www.wfft.org/survivor.htm

 

Tua Rohd is being intensively treated at the center's quarantine unit and

this treatment the coming days will be crucial to his chance of survival and

possible full recovery.