Sir David Attenborough backs campaign for return of smuggled orangutans

[Guest guest]

PRESS RELEASE

Embargo: 00:00 25 March 2006

CITES CALLED ON TO BRING SANCTIONS AGAINST

THAILAND, MALAYSIA, CAMBODIA and SAUDI ARABIA

FOR ORANGUTAN SMUGGLING

Legendary wildlife broadcaster Sir David Attenborough and

distinguished conservationist Dr Richard Leakey, have joined forces

with 40 conservation groups, representing tens of millions of people

throughout the world, calling on CITES Secretary General Mr Willem

Wijnstekers to implement sanctions against these countries who are

blatantly disregarding the spirit, if not the rules, of the

Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species.

In a letter faxed earlier this week to the Secretary General and

other CITES officials, the campaigners call for CITES to uphold

Indonesia's request for the return of over a hundred orangutans

known to be smuggled to destinations worldwide, including Malaysia,

Thailand, Cambodia and Saudi Arabia.

Illegally obtained CITES Appendix 1 protected orangutans are

currently being abused, humiliated and tortured to satisfy the greed

of unscrupulous dealers and zoo owners, whilst CITES authorities in

each of the countries have refused to take any action.

Despite repeated requests to do so, all four countries have ignored

requests from Indonesia for illegally traded orangutans to be

returned immediately to their country of origin.

Sean Whyte, coordinator of the " Born to be Wild " campaign to have

these orangutans returned says, " The smuggling of highly endangered

orangutans is an appalling activity. Any country which condones this

trade deserves to have sanctions brought against it by CITES, which

up to now has shown little interest in doing so "

 

For further information contact Sean Whyte: sw

Tel: + 44 + 1225 + 444929 (England)

or Michelle Desilets, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation 9UK)

Email: info Tel: + 44 (0)1296 640542

 

CITES contact: Stephen V. Nash, CITES Secretariat, Geneva,

Switzerland

Tel. No. (41 22) 917-8143 Fax No. (41 22) 797-3417

e-mail: stephen.nash Web site: www.cites.org

 

Notes:

In Thailand, there are 56 + orangutans proven to have been illegally

imported. After three years all that has happened is, a number of

orangutans have died in captivity, some have been sold and recently

five were " borrowed " by a new zoo in Chang Mai. At least a further

22 orangutans were sold or given to the Koh Kong Safari World in

Cambodia.

In Malaysia, following intense pressure, six orangutans were

returned to Sumatra in December 2005. A further Sumatran orangutan

has still to be repatriated to Sumatra.

In Cambodia, some 22 orangutans were illegally imported in, it is

believed, 2003. The government of Cambodia has fined the park owner

but the orangutans have remained in the zoo where they are being

forced to perform clown-like tricks in front of visitors.

In Saudi Arabia, a lone baby orangutan was confiscated from a pet

shop in June 2005. It has never been seen since. The Saudi Arabian

authorities refuse all requests for information. A recent,

unverified report suggests this orangutan may have been given to a

member of the Saudi Royal family.

 

The BBC will shortly begin filming " Orangutan Diary " at Nyaru

Menteng Orangutan Reintroduction Project, Central Kalimantan, for a

new series of programmes focussing on the history and daily lives of

individual animals. The programmes will be shown daily on prime time

BBC for one week in January 2007. Similar programmes have been made

on elephants and lions. Anticipated UK viewing figures are nine

million per night. The programmes will then be syndicated worldwide,

reaching an audience in the tens of millions.

 

If any country currently holding illegally obtained orangutans ever

wanted to obtain favourable publicity for returning them to

Indonesia, there could be no better time than now - the filming

begins in April.

 

Copy of fax:

25th March 2006

Mr. Willem Wijnstekers

Secretary General

CITES Secretariat

International Environment House

15, chemin des Anemones

CH-1219 Chatelaine – Geneva

Switzerland

 

Dear Mr. Wijnstekers,

Illegal Trade in Orangutans.

You will be aware of orangutans having been illegally imported into

Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Can you please explain to us why CITES has not enforced sanctions

against any of the countries concerned for their continued refusal

to return the orangutans to their country of origin?

In every case there is not the slightest doubt concerning the

illegality of the animals concerned.

We look to CITES to demonstrate its full powers and bring to an end

the continued imprisonment and exploitation of these great apes.

We all support Indonesia's request (copy letter attached) for the

orangutans in question to be returned, and we look to the

Secretariat to represent the interests of Indonesia as a member of

CITES.

On behalf of the under-mentioned organisations, representing

millions of supporters.

Yours sincerely,

 

 

Sean Whyte

Chief Executive

Nature Alert

 

 

Sir David Attenborough

Dr Richard Leakey

Professor Colin Groves, School of Archaeology & Anthropology,

Australian National University

David J. Chivers, M.A., Ph.D., Sc.D.

University Reader in Primate Biology and Conservation

Head, Wildlife Research Group, University of Cambridge

Advocates for Animals

Animal Concern

Animal Defenders International

AWELY, des animaux et des homes, France

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation Australia

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation Canada

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation Denmark

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation France

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation Germany

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation Indonesia

Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation UK

Centre for Great Apes (USA)

Ecological Internet, Inc. (USA)

EDEV - Stichting Een DIER Een VRIEND (Holland)

Environmental Investigation Agency

Fans for Nature (Germany)

Friends of the Earth Malaysia(FOEM)/Sahabat Alam Malaysia(SAM)

The Gibbon Foundation

Indonesian Society for Animal Welfare (ISAW)

Institut Jane Goodall France

International Primate Protection League

International Primate Protection League (UK)

International Wildlife Coalition (USA)

International Wildlife Coalition Trust (UK)

The Living Rainforest

The Masarang Foundation

Nature Alert

One Voice, France

Orang Utan Republik Education Initiative (USA and Indonesia)

ProAnimalia International

ProFauna Indonesia

ProFauna UK

Rainforest Information Centre (Australia)

RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals)

The Schmutzer Primate Center

Sepilok Orangutan Appeal UK

Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Project

Sumatran Orangutan Society Australia

Sumatran Orangutan Society New Zealand

Sumatran Orangutan Society Sumatra

Sumatran Orangutan Society UK

Sumatran Orangutan Society USA

The Thai Animals Guardians Association

Wildlife Friends of Thailand

WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals)