(TH) Thai police chasing Orangutan through palm plantation

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Thai police chasing Orangutan through palm plantation

 

On Sunday the 24th of August officers of the Natural Resources and

Environmental Crime Division (before Royal Forestry Police Division) under

direct command of Police Colonel Subsak Chavalviwat raided an illegal mini

zoo at the premises of a resort in Chumporn province. The officers of the

NRECD were joined by a team of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife

and plants (DNP), acting on a complaint by the Wildlife Friends Foundation

Thailand (WFFT). This complaint was handed over to the police last week.

 

The small facility housing many wild animals in sub-standard conditions

claimed on a sign at the entrance (photo signSP1) to be a registered zoo and

had been open for over the past 4 years; however after the first complaints

from tourists and concerned by-passers were send to the WFFT there were no

documents found to sustain this claim, and after further investigation it

was found that this place had no permit to keep any wildlife at all. When a

few weeks ago a juvenile orangutan and more protected wildlife was found to

have arrived by WFFT staff at this zoo we asked for an urgent investigation

by the NRECD as we suspected that these animals were taken from the wild to

be used for entertainment with tourists at the resort.

 

AT 11:00AM a team of 20 police officers from the NRECD and 3 officials of

the DNP showed a search warrant for the premises of Kaengpheka Resort at

Petchkasem highway in Chumporn to the owner of the resort asking for

cooperation in searching for illegal wildlife. Although the owner promised

to cooperate some of his staff immediately went to the enclosure with Sarus

cranes and released these birds in to the open air. Another staff member

lifted the orangutan out of its enclosure and ran into the forest and palm

plantation behind the resort, disappearing quickly with a dozen police

chasing after they were made aware that this person was taking away the

young orangutan. Police then quickly started to check all enclosures and

make photographic evidence of all wildlife found to make sure no more

wildlife would be moved, hidden or released (a full list of found animals on

document 2). About one hour after disappearing the orangutan and the animal

keeper were found in a nearby palm plantation by police, but when

approaching both keeper and ape the keeper got rid of the orangutan and the

approximately 30 kilo heavy orangutan clinged on to the police officer's leg

making it impossible to move and catch the man. After asking for assistance

by radio Police and staff of WFFT went to the help of the police officer

that was not able to move out of the palm plantation (pictures " clinged " 1

to 3) and the animal was driven back to the resort.

 

The owner was not able to show any evidence that the wildlife at his resort

were bought legally and suggested several times that the animals were taken

from the wild but bought out of compassion. DNP officials have said that all

illegal found wildlife will be confiscated and moved to government holding

facilities. The WFFT has offered to help with the moving of the animals and

financial support for transportation and further care.