(TH) safari slammed

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Safari slammed for 'wildlife laundering' *By Pennapa Hongthong*

The Nation

Publication 23-08-2006 Print

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An attempt by Chiang Mai Night Safari to export to China animals classified

as endangered, including species not native to Thailand, has provoked

allegations of " wildlife laundering " from conservationists.

 

The safari plans to export elephants and non-native animals such as

chimpanzees and douc langur monkeys under the deal.

 

Edwin Wiek, director and founder of the Wildlife Friends Foundation of

Thailand, said if the export was approved by the Natural Resources and

Environment Ministry, the Night Safari could become a middleman in the

international illegal wildlife trade.

 

Wiek said it was possible that someone had " donated " smuggled animals to the

Night Safari for export. He demanded the origins of all the animals be

verified to ensure they are all legally acquired and that they complied with

the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites), to

which Thailand is a party.

 

The Night Safari last year signed a memorandum of understanding with

Guangzhou Panyu Xiangjiang Safari Park Co to exchange wildlife as part of an

effort to strengthen ties between the two countries.

 

Wattana Wittayaprasit, director of the Cites Management Authority of

Thailand, said he had been informed only of a proposal to export five

elephants and knew nothing about the species not native to Thailand.

 

" Do they [Chiang Mai Night Safari] have enough [chimpanzees, douc langur

monkeys and false gavial, a species of alligator] to be exported? " he asked,

expressing surprise upon being told that, not including the elephants, the

Night Safari wanted to export 89 animals.

 

However, Wattana said conservationists need not be concerned.

 

" Don't worry. Before allowing the export of any animal, we have to check its

origin and make sure it's a third-generation, captive-born animal, in

accordance with Cites' regulations, " he said in a telephone interview.

 

Meanwhile, an effort involving numerous agencies to amend the issuing

process for elephant identification documents has proven successful, Schwann

Tanhikorn, deputy director of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and

Plant Variety Conservation, said On Tuesday (August 22).

 

Schwann said the agencies had concurred that a new-born elephant must be

registered with the Department of Provincial Administration within 30 days

of birth, rather than eight years, as at present.

 

Another significant development on Tuesday was the Phetchburi Court's order

that Wiek of the Wildlife Friends Foundation be fined Bt20,000 and sentenced

to an eight-month suspended jail term for illegal possession of wildlife.

Wiek said he did not understand why he had been punished since he only took

in animals given to him by people who were unable to take care of them. The

verdict makes Wiek the first person to receive the punishment, the harshest

possible under the 1992 Wildlife Reserve and Protection Act. Wiek said he

would appeal the decision.