November 2005: More confiscated orangutans die at Safariworld, illegal apes moved out!

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASE

 

 

 

November 7th, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

More confiscated orangutans die at Safariworld,

 

Illegal apes moved out!

 

 

 

 

 

Almost two years after the raid on Safariworld in Bangkok by the Royal Thai

Forestry Police, the Department of National Parks wildlife and Plants (DNP)

has finally physically moved out some of the illegally smuggled orangutans

from the Safariworld Zoo. Although initially at least 71 orangutans were

found to be illegally smuggled in, now only 54 are being moved out. 14

Orangutans died or disappeared mysteriously within the first months after

the raid and three more reportedly died only a few weeks ago while under the

care of the zoo whilst under supervision of the DNP. The fifty-four apes are

being moved to the government's Kao Prathapchang breeding center in

Ratchaburi province. Safariworld's owner has confessed to the authorities

that the animals were illegally obtained.

 

 

 

It is still unknown why the removal of the orangutans had to take so long

and what will be the fate of the animals. In September 2004 five orangutans

were confiscated from Lopburi zoo allegedly belonging to an influential

businessman in the North-Eastern province of Nakorn Ratchasima who was

hiding the apes with the help of a wild animal rescue NGO in an official zoo

to avoid confiscation of the animals by the Royal Thai Forestry Police. The

Lopburi orangutans were quietly returned to the zoo a few months ago and are

now performing tricks to entertain visitors in the weekends at the zoo. DNP

officials said the five orangutans were only returned temporarily as they

could not provide sufficient care at the wildlife breeding centers. Four

more orangutans were confiscated from two wildlife slaughterhouses over 2

years ago and three are still being kept at the Ratchaburi government

facility, one has since died. Under the CITES (Convention on International

Trade in Endangered Species) agreement confiscated illegal wildlife should

ideally be repatriated to the country of origin, in this case Indonesia for

rehabilitation, and where possible, release back to the wild.

 

 

 

The Safariworld orangutan scandal is the world's biggest known smuggling

case of great apes and has attracted wide coverage from the media over the

last two years. The handling of the case by the DNP has resulted in an

outcry by wildlife conservationists worldwide and has put doubts on the

power and influence of CITES due to this case being referred upon as a paper

tiger.

 

 

 

Edwin Wiek

 

Founder and Director

 

WFFT

 

 

 

For more info edwin.wiek

 

or telephone (+66) 90600906