Monkey bust in Malaysia

[Guest guest]

Monday July 9, 2007

 

Wildlife smuggling ring busted, 950 monkeys rescued

 

By MEERA VIJAYAN

 

KLUANG: One of the largest wildlife smuggling syndicates in the

country has been crippled with the arrest of four men and rescue of

around 950 illegally captured monkeys.

 

The monkeys, captured from the jungles of the central state of Pahang

and the southern state of Johor, are believed to have been headed for

either China or Holland.

 

Wildlife Department officials, led by department assistant director

Celescoriano Razond, found the monkeys in a store on a plantation in

Pontian, Johor, on July 7 when they raided the premises after a

two-week investigation.

 

The monkeys, of the Macaca fascicularis species, were found in a

pitiful condition in filthy cages and blue gunny sacks.

 

Around 100 dead monkeys were also found piled up in a heap nearby.

 

Razond said three of the men were charged in the magistrate's court

in Pontian under four separate charges of the Wildlife Protection Act

for unlawful possession and cruelty to wildlife.

 

The fourth, an Indonesian man, was handed over to the Immigration Department.

 

" We believe one of the three Malaysians is among the leaders of the

syndicate. We are also trying to trace the other people involved in

the group, " he said.

 

He added that the animals smuggled to China were usually eaten while

those sent to Holland are usually used for research purposes.

 

Meanwhile, the rescued animals were transported to the Wildlife

Department office in Kluang where they were fed and the injured

monkeys tended to.

 

Razond said the starving animals had started eating their newborn and

injuring one another in fights.

 

" This is highly unusual behaviour among monkeys because they are very

protective of each other, " he said.

 

The animals would be released in stages into protected forest

reserves nationwide to ensure that they are not recaptured, he said.

 

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/7/9/nation/20070709182654 & sec=na\

tion

 

 

Dr. Shirley McGreal, Chairwoman

International Primate Protection League

PO Box 766

Summerville, SC 29484, USA

Phone - 843-871-2280, Fax- 843-871-7988

 

E-mail - smcgreal, Web: www.ippl.org

Working to Protect All Primates Since 1973

 

One of the advantages of being disorderly is that one is constantly

making exciting discoveries. ~ AA Milne