(MY) monkey as economic units

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Don't treat wildlife as 'economic units' - Malaysiakini.com

N Surendran

Sep 5, 07 3:56pm Adjust font size:

 

Animal rights and welfare groups, political parties and the Malaysian

public are deeply concerned over the decision of the Ministry of

Natural Resources and Environment to lift the ban on the trade of

Malaysian long-tailed macaques.

 

The reasons given the by the ministry are that the export of macaques

is necessary to control the macaque population and to prevent

humane-macaque conflict. We find the above excuses completely

unacceptable.

 

 

What evidence has the ministry produced proving that there is a

serious overpopulation problem?

 

 

How is it possible that there is an overpopulation problem when in

fact macaque habitats have been progressively destroyed due to

indiscriminate development?

 

 

Why not use humane methods, if at all there is a real population

problem, such as sterilisation or humane culling?

 

 

How does the ministry justify the extreme cruelty that we know

macaques are subjected to during transport overseas?

 

 

How does the ministry justify the horrendous suffering that macaques

will undergo at animal testing/research facilities overseas?

 

 

How does the ministry justify the cruel slaughter of these poor

animals for the pot overseas?

 

 

How does the ministry justify the inevitable increase in the regional

market, both legal and illegal, for exotic wild life as a result of

the lifting of the ban?

In particular, who is to profit financially from the export of

macaques and their torture and death? Which company or companies will

profit from the trade and who are its owners?

 

Macaques are highly intelligent and social animals. The suffering they

will undergo if they are captured and exported is simply unimaginable.

Macaque mothers tend to their offspring like human mothers do. It is

unethical and immoral to subject our macaques to the horrible process

of capture, transportation, torture and death overseas. There is much

evidence available of the regime of cruelty at animals testing labs

and at restaurants.

 

Mass capture and export overseas is not the solution to any alleged

overpopulation problem. The environment and its indigenous fauna must

be managed with a long-term vision and with respect and compassion for

wildlife. Wildlife cannot be treated as if they were economic units or

merchandise for money-making.

 

No country can call itself civilised when it ill-treats its wildlife

in so cruel a manner. We call upon Minister of Natural Resources and

Environment Azmi Khalid to:

 

Immediately restore the ban on trade of macaques;

 

 

Halt all pending macaque shipments overseas;

 

 

Release all macaques currently in captivity and awaiting transportation;

 

 

Consult with animal welfare groups and experts to humanely respond to

macaque problems.

The above letter is signed by the SPCA Selangor, the Malaysian Animal

Assisted Theraphy for Disabled Association (PetPositive), PKR, the

Malaysian Animal Rights and Welfare Society (Roar) and the Malaysian

Association for Responsible Pet Ownership (Marpo).

 

 

 

 

 

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