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)

 

 

 

 

Michelle Desilets

BOS UK

www.savetheorangutan.org.uk

www.savetheorangutan.info

" Primates Helping Primates "

 

Please sign our petition to rescue over 100 smuggled orangutans in Thailand:

http://www.thePetitionSite.com/takeaction/822035733

 

 

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