RE: Press Release for circulation - Taiping 4 gorillas

[Guest guest]

My dear friends,

 

 

Greetings from Friends of the Earth Malaysia otherwise known as Sahabat Alam

Malaysia (SAM).

 

We are a non-profit, non-governmental organisation dedicated to the

protection of wildlife and their natural habitats and to the encouragement,

promotion and enforcement of laws governing the conservation of nature and

the protection of the environment.

 

Friends of the Earth Malaysia has not forgotten the Taiping Four gorillas

and we have come out with a press release which we hope will be circulated

to the foreign media in your country or for publication in your magazines,

website and so on.

 

Your assistance can mean a lot to us.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

Press Release

 

Gorillas should not remain at Pretoria Zoo

 

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) once again call for the four young gorillas

known as the “Taiping Four” to be returned to their natural habitat, instead

of at a zoo in Pretoria.

 

SAM is infuriated at the illegal smuggling of the wild caught primates from

Cameroon that made their way into the Taiping Zoo in Malaysia more than two

years ago. As victims of the smuggling wildlife trade it is only right that

they be returned to their natural habitat instead of living their lives at

the Pretoria zoo.

 

SAM fully supports the international animal rights groups in their demand

for the apes to be returned to Cameroon, in accordance with the Convention

on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates the

global trade in threatened wildlife. According to CITES, confiscated

animals are to be returned to their native land whenever possible. However,

this has not been the case with the gorillas.

 

Since their discreet shipment to South Africa’s National Zoo in Pretoria by

the Taiping Zoo authorities there has been no news of them, and SAM is

concerned over their welfare and how they thrive at their unnatural zoo

environment.

 

It is time South Africa, a signatory to CITES, respect the Conventions

ruling which it had helped put in place to safeguard endangered species.

This should be done in the spirit of African co-operation.

 

In fact South Africa should acknowledge that it is within the rights of

Cameroon to request for the return of their gorillas instead of sending them

to another zoo. We are not convinced that the Pretoria zoo is the only

zoo equipped for the rehabilitation of these animals when renowned

primatologists had recommended the Limbe Wildlife Rescue Center. No zoo

should benefit from the spoils of high profile animals of high profile

species.

 

The zoo’s action of keeping these gorillas can never be justified under the

pretext of ‘we’re saving the species’. This shows arrogance and ignorance

that Pretoria is protecting gorillas from extinction by preventing their

return to their country of origin. Moreover, this has been perpetuated to

justify what cannot be justified.

 

Cameroon has long demanded the return of the lowland gorillas and South

Africa should acknowledge that and send the animals home immediately.

 

SAM is totally dismayed and disgusted at the case since this is not what

good zoos with legitimate conservation goals and concerns stand for.

 

The legitimate concern now is to carry out DNA testing on the gorillas to

determine their origin and return them to their country of origin. This

case should not be put to rest until the demands of Cameroon are met.

 

Mr. S M Mohd Idris

President

Friends of the Earth Malaysia

9 Solok Mas

11600 Penang Malaysia

Tel: 6-04-6596930 Fax: 6-04-6596931

 

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