Update on smuggled gorillas

[Guest guest]

Cameroon wants smuggled gorillas home from S. Africa

 

YAOUNDE, April 16 (Reuters) - Cameroon called on South Africa on Saturday

to return four young gorillas smuggled to Malaysia and then moved to a

South African zoo.

 

The fate of the gorillas has infuriated animal rights groups who want them

sent back to their natural habitat.

 

Mary Fosi, a senior official at Cameroon's Ministry of Environment and

Nature Protection, said South Africa had promised to return the gorillas,

known as the " Taiping Four " , after the Malaysian zoo where they appeared

after being smuggled out of Cameroon in 2002.

 

" We are waiting now for the South African government to respect its

engagement to bring back the gorillas to Cameroon by June 2005, " Fosi told

reporters in Cameroon's capital Yaounde.

 

The population of lowland gorillas, numbering several thousand in Cameroon,

Central African Republic, the two Congos, Gabon and Nigeria, is rapidly

declining because of hunting and logging, trading in pets and the deadly

Ebola virus.

 

Activists say the apes should be returned under the Convention on

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

global trade in threatened wildlife.

 

The animals were discreetly brought to South Africa's National Zoo in

Pretoria in April 2004 from Malaysia. Cameroon, South African and Malaysia

are all party to CITES.

 

Fosi's comments came after the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW)

criticised South Africa's government for allowing preparations for placing

the gorillas on display at the zoo.

 

" Given that Cameroon specifically asked South Africa for the return of the

gorillas on two separate occasions, we feel the current situation shows a

serious lack of respect for both CITES and the spirit of African

cooperation, " IFAW said on Thursday.

 

IFAW also criticised South Africa for failing to convene a technical

committee to facilitate the gorillas' return.

 

Animal welfare groups want the gorillas sent to the Limbe Wildlife Centre

in southwestern Cameroon. Fosi said facilities at the centre had already

been upgraded for their return.

 

" The centre has successfully put in place a family group of gorillas and

the " Taiping Four " will be integrated into the resident gorilla

population, " she said.

 

04/16/05 17:56 ET

 

 

Dr. Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman

International Primate Protection League

PO Box 766

Summerville, SC 29484, USA

Phone - 843-871-2280, Fax- 843-871-7988

E-mail - smcgreal, Web: www.ippl.org

 

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