Bangkokpost News: Orangutans to return to Indonesia

[Guest guest]

WILDLIFE ILLEGAL SMUGGLING

 

Orangutans to return to Indonesia

 

After two years of investigation and DNA testing, 54 orangutans that were

forced to entertain tourists at a private zoo in Bangkok suburb, will

eventually be returned to their homeland in the Indonesian jungle. Schwann

Tunhikorn, deputy director-general of the National Park, Wildlife and Plant

Conservation Department, said recent DNA tests by Kasetsart University

veterinarian confirmed 54 of the 100 apes forestry police seized from Safari

World in 2004 belonged to Indonesia.

 

Safari World zoo's managing director Pin Kewkacha also admitted that the zoo

illegally obtained the endangered apes from Borneo and Sumatra islands. But

a public prosecutor had yet to lodge a charge against him, said Mr Schwann.

''The decision [to return the orangutans to Indonesia] reflects Thailand's

responsibility as a member of the Convention on International Trade in

Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which aims to crack down

on the cross-border illegal wildlife trade,'' he said.

 

The decision was based on the DNA testing and discussions with Cites

officers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand as well as wildlife experts, he

added.

 

Edwin Wiek, the Thai representative of Indonesia's Borneo Orangutan

Foundation, slammed the department for dragging its feet in investigating

the case and bringing the wildlife smugglers to justice. The zoo operator,

he said, was still at large despite apparently breaching wildlife protection

laws.

 

Mr Schwann, however, dismissed the remark, saying that the delayed judgement

resulted from the time-consuming legal process and the DNA testing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Edwin,

Any idea if the orangutans which were planned to be exchanged by the

Thailand Zoological authorities with Rhino from Assam State Zoo in

India is still on.

I got to update myself on what is the scene back there in Thailand.

Thanks,

Azam

 

aapn , " Edwin Wiek " <edwin.wiek wrote:

>

> WILDLIFE ILLEGAL SMUGGLING

>

> Orangutans to return to Indonesia

>

> After two years of investigation and DNA testing, 54 orangutans

that were

> forced to entertain tourists at a private zoo in Bangkok suburb,

will

> eventually be returned to their homeland in the Indonesian jungle.

Schwann

> Tunhikorn, deputy director-general of the National Park, Wildlife

and Plant

> Conservation Department, said recent DNA tests by Kasetsart

University

> veterinarian confirmed 54 of the 100 apes forestry police seized

from Safari

> World in 2004 belonged to Indonesia.

>

> Safari World zoo's managing director Pin Kewkacha also admitted

that the zoo

> illegally obtained the endangered apes from Borneo and Sumatra

islands. But

> a public prosecutor had yet to lodge a charge against him, said Mr

Schwann.

> ''The decision [to return the orangutans to Indonesia] reflects

Thailand's

> responsibility as a member of the Convention on International

Trade in

> Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which aims to

crack down

> on the cross-border illegal wildlife trade,'' he said.

>

> The decision was based on the DNA testing and discussions with

Cites

> officers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand as well as wildlife

experts, he

> added.

>

> Edwin Wiek, the Thai representative of Indonesia's Borneo Orangutan

> Foundation, slammed the department for dragging its feet in

investigating

> the case and bringing the wildlife smugglers to justice. The zoo

operator,

> he said, was still at large despite apparently breaching wildlife

protection

> laws.

>

> Mr Schwann, however, dismissed the remark, saying that the delayed

judgement

> resulted from the time-consuming legal process and the DNA

testing.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

H Azam,

 

It is very well possible that no animal deals will be allowed by CITES at

all through Thailand. In a newspaper today it was finally mentioned by

Police General Swake Pinsinchai (Forestry police) that there are no laws in

Thailand protecting foreign wildlife. This is a clear breach of the CITES

regulations and for that reason Thailand should have been banned from

trading wildlife by CITES years ago.

 

It might be a new twist to the whole story on wildlife trade, legal and

illegal, or should I say legal and immoral trade?

 

Edwin

 

 

aapn [aapn ] On Behalf Of

azam24x7

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 4:02 PM

aapn

Re: Bangkokpost News: Orangutans to return to Indonesia

 

Dear Edwin,

Any idea if the orangutans which were planned to be exchanged by the

Thailand Zoological authorities with Rhino from Assam State Zoo in

India is still on.

I got to update myself on what is the scene back there in Thailand.

Thanks,

Azam

 

aapn , " Edwin Wiek " <edwin.wiek wrote:

>

> WILDLIFE ILLEGAL SMUGGLING

>

> Orangutans to return to Indonesia

>

> After two years of investigation and DNA testing, 54 orangutans

that were

> forced to entertain tourists at a private zoo in Bangkok suburb,

will

> eventually be returned to their homeland in the Indonesian jungle.

Schwann

> Tunhikorn, deputy director-general of the National Park, Wildlife

and Plant

> Conservation Department, said recent DNA tests by Kasetsart

University

> veterinarian confirmed 54 of the 100 apes forestry police seized

from Safari

> World in 2004 belonged to Indonesia.

>

> Safari World zoo's managing director Pin Kewkacha also admitted

that the zoo

> illegally obtained the endangered apes from Borneo and Sumatra

islands. But

> a public prosecutor had yet to lodge a charge against him, said Mr

Schwann.

> ''The decision [to return the orangutans to Indonesia] reflects

Thailand's

> responsibility as a member of the Convention on International

Trade in

> Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites), which aims to

crack down

> on the cross-border illegal wildlife trade,'' he said.

>

> The decision was based on the DNA testing and discussions with

Cites

> officers in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand as well as wildlife

experts, he

> added.

>

> Edwin Wiek, the Thai representative of Indonesia's Borneo Orangutan

> Foundation, slammed the department for dragging its feet in

investigating

> the case and bringing the wildlife smugglers to justice. The zoo

operator,

> he said, was still at large despite apparently breaching wildlife

protection

> laws.

>

> Mr Schwann, however, dismissed the remark, saying that the delayed

judgement

> resulted from the time-consuming legal process and the DNA

testing.

>

>

>

>

>

>