Animal rights groups shocked by high death rate of lab monkeys

[Guest guest]

*Press Release*

 

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*Animal rights groups shocked by high death rate of lab monkeys*

 

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*Kathmandu – 12-12-2008 –* The* *Animal Welfare Network Nepal and Stop

Monkey Business Campaign are shocked by the high death rate among rhesus

monkeys destined for US laboratories at a Lele breeding centre. In 2008, out

of 310 captive monkeys at least 30 were deemed unfit and euthanized. An

exceptional high percentage, 10 %, died a 'natural death'. The animal

welfare groups call for an immediate halt of the breeding and export of

rhesus monkeys.

 

 

 

The details about the high death rate among captive monkeys comes at a time

when the government has actually stated it will *not* export rhesus monkeys.

In a letter addressed to Swiss animal rights groups former Director General

Dr Annapurna Das of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife

Conservation in August informed that the Wildlife Breeding Policy 'does not

include any clause for the export of rhesus monkeys in order to use in

biomedical research'. According to Das the Ministry of Forests and Soil

Conservation decided on June 20, 2008, 'not to export rhesus monkeys for

biomedical

research'[1]<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2 & view=js & name=js & ver=RtwXcTHssC0 & a\

m=R-A8rcT3QCHJBX3q6NB55w#_ftn1>.

Lately however newspaper write ups have suggested that 25 rhesus monkeys

will be exported to the US soon.

 

 

 

Findings from a 2008 Progress Report by a Texas-based biomedical research

centre learn that even more Nepalese monkeys will be captured for biomedical

and bio-warfare research.

 

 

 

The Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research supports a monkey breeding

centre in Lele, Lalitpur District, operated by the National Biomedical

Research Center. The centre houses 310 monkeys of which 210 have been

captured and 105 were born in captivity. The Nepal project receives an

annual budget of US$ 650.000 from the US government.

 

 

 

According to the progress report out of 310 monkeys 133 are infected with

various diseases. In March 22 wild and 6 captive born monkeys were

euthanized because they suffered from TB. Other monkeys suffer from

Herpes-B, a common infectious disease that in the wild is harmless but in

captive monkeys suffering from stress results in cold sores. Others are

infected with Simian Retro Virus (SRV). According to the report any infected

Nepalese monkey arriving in the US will immediately be euthanized. The Lele

project plans to trap another 30 wild monkeys in the coming year.

 

 

 

The Animal Welfare Network Nepal and Stop Monkey Business Campaign are

deeply concerned about the fate of Nepal's rhesus monkeys and call for an

immediate ban on the capturing and breeding of primates for research in the

US.

 

 

 

In 2003 Nepal introduced the Wildlife Farming Reproduction and Research

Working Policy which cleared the path for the breeding of rhesus monkeys for

biomedical research. Two US primate centers with their Nepalese partners

received a license. A coalition of eight national animal welfare

organizations firmly oppose this monkey business.

 

 

 

*For more information and original documents: *

 

 

 

Animal Welfare Network Nepal – www.awnnepal.blogspot.com

 

Stop Monkey Business Campaign – www.stopmonkeybusiness.org

 

 

 

c/o Manoj Gautam and Shreeya Parajuli, Roots and Shoots Nepal,

 

9841-496822 or 9841-551298. Email: stopmonkeybusiness

 

 

 

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[1]<http://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2 & view=js & name=js & ver=RtwXcTHssC0 & am=R-A8rcT\

3QCHJBX3q6NB55w#_ftnref1>The

letter can be read

at http://www.gatewaytohell.net/images/demos/2008/Rhesus_Monkey_Nepal.jpg

 

 

 

 

--

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Bagdol, Patan, Nepal

Wijk 4-47, 8321 GE Urk, Holland