(JP) Zoo faces govt probe for putting breeding chimpanzees on TV

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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20050804TDY02010.htm

 

Zoo faces govt probe for putting breeding chimpanzees

on TV

The Yomiuri Shimbun

 

The Environment Ministry is likely to question

officials of Aso Cuddly Dominion Zoo in Aso, Kumamoto

Prefecture, on suspicion that it violated the Species

Preservation Law by allowing chimpanzees that had been

sent to the zoo on a breeding program appear

frequently on television programs.

 

The ministry intends to consult experts to determine

whether frequent TV appearances would cause mental

stress for the primates and prevent them from

breeding.

 

The 3-year-old chimpanzees, Pan, a male, and Poko, a

female, were transferred to the zoo as part of a

breeding program in February 2004.

 

Pan was transferred from a zoo in Miyazaki and Poko

from a Sapporo zoo.

 

Pan appears in an NTV program called " Tensai! Shimura

Dobutsuen " on a regular basis and also has made many

appearances on TBS' " Dobutsu Kiso-Tengai " program.

 

During the summer school vacation, the two chimps also

make three public appearances a day at the zoo.

 

Chimpanzees are designated as an international rare

wild animal, and their transfer is prohibited under

the Species Preservation Law except for special cases,

such as academic research, display and propagation.

 

The ministry's wild animal section official said:

" There's no problem with the chimpanzees being

displayed at the zoo--although they were transferred

there for breeding purposes. But the frequent

appearances on TV program may be a violation of the

law. "

 

An executive of Aso Cuddly Dominion Zoo said: " The

chimpanzees are children and haven't reached the age

at which they can propagate. Our keepers keep an eye

on their health and set the dates for the TV

appearances. We don't believe it will hinder their

ability to procreate. "

 

(Aug. 4, 2005)