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Thailand's orangutans smuggling case
Femke - 07.07.2005 02:44
The worlds biggest great-ape smuggling case ever to be ignored?
Safari World Park in Bangkok uses wildife for varieted animal shows. Amongst the animals they use are many protected animals,like over one hundred orangutans which have been confiscated in november 2003. Although the owner of the park has been found guily with illegal animal smuggling, these orangutans are still being held in custody inside the park under horrific conditions. Action is needed, the orangutans should be send back to Indonesia immediately.
Intelligent endangered apes used in dumb boxing shows
PRESS RELEASE
The world’s
biggest smuggling case
ever of apes
to be ignored?
STOP ILLEGAL CUSTODY OF ORANGUTAN IN THAILAND
(AND RETURN THOSE ORANGUTAN TO THE WILD IMMEDIATELY)
Internationally, animal welfare and conservation organizations strongly urge for the Thailand Government to stop the illegal custody, and tormenting, of over one hundred Orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) from Indonesia in Safari World, Bangkok and other Zoos, Farms and Parks in Thailand for the following reasons:
Orangutans are endemic to Indonesia and Malaysia (Borneo). These Great Apes are critically endangered with extinction.
The numbers of wild orangutans have dropped with 50% within the last 20 years (BOS: Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation). If we don’t protect the orangutan and its habitat now, within ten years there might be no more orangutans in the wild.
Although these great apes are being protected worldwide by law they are still being captured from the wild and traded for commercial purposes. The biggest case of illegal orangutan smuggling is the confiscation of over one hundred orangutans in Thailand (November 2003).
The Orangutans inside the zoo are being used for entertainment shows: boxing performances. As Orangutans are listed on Appendix 1 CITES, these Apes should not be used for any commercial purpose, but belong in their habitat of origin, in this case the rain forests of Borneo, Indonesia.
CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) states that confiscated wildlife should be returned to the country and habitat of origin.
Therefore, the orangutans in Thailand should have been returned to Indonesia straight after the confiscation. But today, one and a half year later, the Orangutans are still being kept under unclear conditions. Some of the Orangutans have been transported to unknown places and some might have died.
Safari World owner Pin Kewkacha should face up to 10 years in jail if
found guilty of smuggling orangutans into the country. Although proved guilty, he is still wandering about and exploiting wildlife.
Organizations and individuals worldwide now join forces to demand the return to Indonesia of these highly endangered apes immediately. This month the president of Indonesia (Susilo Bambang Yudoyono) visits Thailand.
Today, organizations worldwide demand the return of the confiscated Orangutans at the embassies of Thailand.
Anyone intersted in helping these orangutans, please get in touch or organise yourself a demo at the Thailand embassy in your region!
Full story
Safari World was raided in November 2003 by Forestry Police and the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants (DNP) and Safari World was found guilty on suspicion of holding illegally obtained wildlife. During this raid, 115 Orangutans were found at Safari World Park, Bangkok: only 46 were registered with the authorities:
• 115 Orangutans in total
7 adult Males, 7 adult Females
101 Babies between 1 and 4 years old
• The sex ratio of the babies
70% Female
30% Male
However, Safari World still declared that all animals were captive born at their premises, a matter, which is impossible due to the great number of very young individuals and the small amount of adults. The age distribution showed that they could impossibly have been bred inside Safari World. All the Orangutans in the Safari World show were clearly smuggled from the wild.
Both the Indonesian Director-General of the Indonesian Forest Protection and the Minister of Forestry have requested the return of those illegal-suspected Orangutans to Indonesia.
In Indonesia, specialized rehabilitation centers for Orangutans are ready to take them in and provide them the best care and a potential return to the wild where they originally were taken from.
The confiscation, repatriation and release back to the wild of these great apes is very important to show that illegal trade in wildlife is no longer accepted and taken seriously.
Thailand signed CITES in 1983 and as a signatory have very specific rules and regulations as to the “disposal” of illegal wildlife. By refusing to return the Orangutans to Indonesia, Thailand breaks the international agreement.
Demands:
1. The government of Thailand to take a progressive stand, sentence the director of Safari World Park and return the Orangutans to Indonesia immediately.
2. We also urge IUCN and CITES Secretariats to control and enforce these laws strict. Enforcing existing laws are critically needed in order to put an end to the illegal trade in wildlife, the main threat towards the survival of animal species.
3. Tourism to Thailand should not be promoted until the Orangutans have been safely returned to Indonesia.
Contacts:
Femke
 ptsta@telkom.net
 E-Mail: ptsta@telkom.net
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