( Indo Thai Zoo animal exchange ) Assam Zoo plans animal swap

[Guest guest]

Dear All in India, Thailand and Indonesia,

Send me as many information as you possibly can on the smuggled

orangutans in Thailand. Could it be that the Thai authorities are

holding illegal costody of orangutans, which they probably want to

exchange with the animals from India. This seems to be a serious and

well calculated move and now both the countries seem to be just a

step further from this outrageous exchange of animals.

Lets get together.

Dr. Nanditha Narain, PETA-India and People for Animals have written

to the officials here to prevent this zoo exchange.

But if we can unearth more facts, and reveal the same to the

International Agencies which are there to monitor these practices, I

am sure it can be stopped.

Hope to hear from you all.

Regards,

Azam

 

P.S: Please read the follwing news report.

 

The Telegraph, Guwahati 30 july 2005

 

Assam Zoo plans animal swap

By a staff reporter

 

Link:

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1050730/asp/guwahati/story_5050818.asp

 

July 29: The Assam State Zoo will receive chimpanzees and orang-

utans from Thailand Zoological Park in exchange of a male rhino if

the discussions held today receive the Central Zoo Authority's seal

of approval.

 

Officials of the state forest department and the Thailand Zoological

Park Organisation today agreed to exchange the animals in a meeting

at the Assam State Zoo.

 

Besides three chimpanzees and two orang-utans, Thailand has also

agreed to give one female clouded leopard, three binturongs

(bearcat), one pig-tailed macaque and two female stumped macaques —

all Schedule I animals.

 

Assam chief wildlife warden M.C. Malakar, who attended the meeting,

said the state forest department is waiting for the final nod on the

exchange plan from the Central Zoo Authority in New Delhi. Malakar

and the Thai delegates have already met their officials.

 

Sources said the final clearance might take some time as several

aspects, such as health of the animals, need to be considered. Once

the green signal comes through, the two sides will chalk out the

modalities and sign a memorandum of understanding.

 

The representatives also discussed wildlife conservation in their

respective countries and the support received from their

governments.

 

The Thai team agreed to provide technical training in designing zoo

enclosures and in other areas of wildlife conservation. A

conservation programme on common species of Assam and Thailand is

also on the cards. Led by its director-general Sophan Dumnoi, the

Thailand Zoological Park Organisation team comprises Suriya

Sangpong, ThanapatPongtamon, Kravee Kreethapon and Ratna Kumar

Duraisingam.