DNA check reconfirms illegal possession of Orangutans

[Guest guest]

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation

 

 

 

Press Release

 

 

 

December 26th 2004

 

 

 

 

 

DNA check reconfirms illegal possession of Orangutans by Safariworld in

Thailand

 

 

 

 

 

Bangkok, 26 Dec 2004 - A check on the DNA of 115 orangutans found during a

raid on Safariworld in November 2003 has reconfirmed the suspicion that most

of these apes were not bred at the zoo as was claimed by the owners since

the raid.

 

 

 

Veterinarians of Kasetsart University in Bangkok handed over the official

report on Wednesday the 15th of December 2004 to the commander of the

Forestry Police, Major-General Swake Pinsinchai.

 

After a second DNA-check on the seven adult females and all offspring at the

zoo it was found that only 29 of the juvenile and baby orangutans were

offspring that could have been born at the zoo. Besides the seven females

the zoo also holds 7 adult males. The total number of " legally " held

orangutans is hereby said to number a total of 43 only. Initially 115 were

found at the zoo, but in the last months 15 have died and/or disappeared

from the zoo. 100 are still left at Safariworld as the Department of

National Parks (DNP), the authority responsible for wildlife matters and the

actual

 

confiscation, still refuses to move the animals to a better facility

awaiting trial. Over the past months the DNP has repeatedly said they did

not see any wrongdoing by Safariworld in the matter of the illegal

possession of orangutans.

 

 

 

The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation known as BOS has financially

supported the DNA check to clarify and speed up the legal process for the

benefit of the apes. When found guilty illegal wildlife is to be confiscated

and returned to the country of origin as agreed upon by signatories of the

international treaty of CITES (Convention In trade of Endangered Species).

Thailand is a member of

 

CITES. The Indonesian government has repeatedly asked Thailand to return the

illegal orangutans and has prepared space at Orangutan rehabilitation and

reintroduction projects on the island of Borneo for

 

their return. From x to x November, General Swake and five others from

Thailand visited the BOS facilities in Jakarta and Kalimantan to inspect the

readiness of Indonesia to receive orangutans coming back from Thailand>

Police Major-General Swake Pinsinchai said the Forestry Police will hand

over the case to the prosecutor within the month of December to press

charges against Safariworld and the owner Mr Pin Kewkacha for illegal

possession and smuggling of endangered wildlife. There is great concern that

the legal process will take a long time, in which time more orangutans might

die or disappear of they are to be kept at the Safariworld zoo. The maximum

penalty for this crime is a fine of 50,000 baht (1,200 US$) and/or 5 years

in jail, however no one has ever served a jail sentence for a similar crime

in Thailand.

 

 

 

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants as well as the

ministry of Natural Resources and environment have so far not promised to

return the apes to Indonesia when found illegally obtained.

 

 

 

 

 

Situation as on December 16th 2004

 

 

Initially found at Safariworld (22-11-2003)

 

115

 

 

- Adults (registered in 1992)

 

14

 

 

- Offspring (Juveniles and baby's)

 

101

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Found to be offspring of females at zoo (DNA)

 

29

 

 

Confessed to be illegal by the zoo

 

45

 

 

Additional illegal orangutans (as by DNA check)

 

12

 

 

Died since initial raid on 22-11-2003

 

15

 

 

Total legal

 

43

 

 

Total illegal

 

72

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edwin Wiek

 

Thailand Representative

 

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation

 

 

 

Tel: +66-9-5461398

 

E-mail: <edwin.wiek edwin.wiek