Exploitation of tarsiers in Pattaya city, (Walking Street tourist area), Thailand

[Guest guest]

February, 2008.

 

Exploitation of tarsiers/tarsier type species in Pattaya city, (Walking Street

tourist area), Thailand.

 

Help!: These small gentle creatures are being abused in Pattaya city, Thailand!

 

In Pattaya city, late at night/early in the morning, (around

midnight), in the touristy Walking Steet area, the tarsiers are offered

to travellers to hold and handle. The owner of the animals offers his

flash camera for a fee, or alternatively allows tourists for a fee, to

photograph the animal using their own cameras.

 

These animals have large extremely light sensitive night-vision

eyes. Their heads recoil back at the bright camera flash every time

they are photographed. They are handled and photographed like that

repeatedly. It is really depressing to know that these creatures are

being regularly abused like that. The owners of the animals are only

concerned in making money by exploiting them in this way.

 

Most tourists are unaware just how sensitive the large night vision

eyes of these animals are. Some tourists hold and cuddle the animals

while smoking their cigarettes, and subject them to their cigarette

smoke. The animals are always in danger of being dropped, and injured

especially by drunken tourists.

 

I wish there was something that could be done to prevent this cruel

exploitation, of these gentle, sensitive, creatures.

 

The animals are then also offered to tourists during daylight hours,

along busy Pattaya Beach road between Soi (street) 10 and Walking

Street.

The site below gives some more information on these (endangered) animals:

http://curiousanimals.net/funnies-bunnies/tarsiers-freedom-forever/

[Guest guest]

Hi Frank,

 

 

 

The animals mentioned by you are actually slow lorises (Nycticebus Cougang)

and not Tarsiers. It doesn't make the suffering less but it's an important

detail. These lorises are taken from the wild and shown around just like

baby gibbons in other places around Thailand.

 

 

 

We have been campaigning against it for a while now (see our website

www.wfft.org <http://www.wfft.org/> ) but the authorities are reluctant to

act.

 

 

 

Both the people that exploit the animals as well as the average ignorant

tourists are to blame for the suffering, but bottom-line is that the

authorities should enforce the law.

 

 

 

With best regards,

 

 

 

 

 

Edwin Wiek

 

WFFT Thailand

 

 

 

_____

 

aapn [aapn ] On Behalf Of Frank

Malecki

Wednesday, 20 February, 2008 17:20

aapn

Exploitation of tarsiers in Pattaya city, (Walking Street

tourist area), Thailand

 

 

 

February, 2008.

 

Exploitation of tarsiers/tarsier type species in Pattaya city, (Walking

Street tourist area), Thailand.

 

Help!: These small gentle creatures are being abused in Pattaya city,

Thailand!

 

In Pattaya city, late at night/early in the morning, (around

midnight), in the touristy Walking Steet area, the tarsiers are offered

to travellers to hold and handle. The owner of the animals offers his

flash camera for a fee, or alternatively allows tourists for a fee, to

photograph the animal using their own cameras.

 

These animals have large extremely light sensitive night-vision

eyes. Their heads recoil back at the bright camera flash every time

they are photographed. They are handled and photographed like that

repeatedly. It is really depressing to know that these creatures are

being regularly abused like that. The owners of the animals are only

concerned in making money by exploiting them in this way.

 

Most tourists are unaware just how sensitive the large night vision

eyes of these animals are. Some tourists hold and cuddle the animals

while smoking their cigarettes, and subject them to their cigarette

smoke. The animals are always in danger of being dropped, and injured

especially by drunken tourists.

 

I wish there was something that could be done to prevent this cruel

exploitation, of these gentle, sensitive, creatures.

 

The animals are then also offered to tourists during daylight hours,

along busy Pattaya Beach road between Soi (street) 10 and Walking

Street.

The site below gives some more information on these (endangered) animals:

http://curiousanima

<http://curiousanimals.net/funnies-bunnies/tarsiers-freedom-forever/>

ls.net/funnies-bunnies/tarsiers-freedom-forever/

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Dear Frank,

 

Can you clarify if the animals you saw were tarsiers, or if were they

slow lorises? Please see attached photo taken in Pattaya.

 

It is not uncommon to see gibbons, slow lorises, and other wildlife

used for photo taking with tourists in beach spots around Thailand.

Elephants are also used in cities for the same purpose. Although

illegal, enforcement is weak in Thailand. Even when raids are

conducted and the animals confiscated, the perpetrators are usually

back on the streets with new animals after a B10,000 fine.

 

If they were tarsiers, this will be something new. And as non-native

species, the loophole in Thai legislation offers them no protection.

 

Best regards,

Guna

 

 

Guna Subramaniam

SE Asia Director

 

Care for the Wild International (CWI)

 

Email: guna

Website: www.careforthewild.com

 

 

 

 



 

 

On 20 Feb 2008, at 5:19 PM, Frank Malecki wrote:

 

> February, 2008.

>

> Exploitation of tarsiers/tarsier type species in Pattaya city,

> (Walking Street tourist area), Thailand.

>

> Help!: These small gentle creatures are being abused in Pattaya

> city, Thailand!

>

> In Pattaya city, late at night/early in the morning, (around

> midnight), in the touristy Walking Steet area, the tarsiers are

> offered

> to travellers to hold and handle. The owner of the animals offers his

> flash camera for a fee, or alternatively allows tourists for a fee, to

> photograph the animal using their own cameras.

>

> These animals have large extremely light sensitive night-vision

> eyes. Their heads recoil back at the bright camera flash every time

> they are photographed. They are handled and photographed like that

> repeatedly. It is really depressing to know that these creatures are

> being regularly abused like that. The owners of the animals are only

> concerned in making money by exploiting them in this way.

>

> Most tourists are unaware just how sensitive the large night vision

> eyes of these animals are. Some tourists hold and cuddle the animals

> while smoking their cigarettes, and subject them to their cigarette

> smoke. The animals are always in danger of being dropped, and injured

> especially by drunken tourists.

>

> I wish there was something that could be done to prevent this cruel

> exploitation, of these gentle, sensitive, creatures.

>

> The animals are then also offered to tourists during daylight hours,

> along busy Pattaya Beach road between Soi (street) 10 and Walking

> Street.

> The site below gives some more information on these (endangered)

> animals:

> http://curiousanimals.net/funnies-bunnies/tarsiers-freedom-forever/

>

>