FW: Primfocus: The bleak future of Nepal's monkeys

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16 December, 2008 2:00 AM

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Primfocus Digest, Vol 8, Issue 22

 

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Sun, 14 Dec 2008 16:14:26 -0500

Shirley McGreal <smcgreal

primfocus: The bleak future of Nepal's monkeys

 

Currently two breeding facilities are holding rhesus monkeys

wild-caught in Nepal. These are funded by the Southwest Foundation

and the Washington Primate Center. The new policy referred to in the

article could have a devastating effect and cause large scale

suffering to monkeys formerly protected by the religion and culture

of Nepal. Several Nepal-based groups are working on this problem and

several international groups. Addresses for COURTEOUS (please)

letters are below.

 

*Wildlife farming to get policy boost

 

Kantipur Report http://ekantipur.com/sports.php? & nid=170205

 

KATHMANDU, Dec 13 - The government is preparing to amend the Wildlife Farming,

Breeding, and Research Working Policy, 2003 to facilitate captive breeding and

trade of animals and birds that are not endangered and protected, officials said

on Friday.

 

Shiv Raj Bhatt, planning officer at the Department of the National Parks and

Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), said a draft of the revised policy is with the

Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation. He said the government will introduce

the amended policy after holding consultations with stakeholders and

incorporating their inputs.

 

According to Bhatt, unlike the existing policy, which allows captive farming of

protected and endangered species, the amended policy will allow captive farming

of the animals, which are not endangered and protected.

 

The amended policy will also allow trade of wild animals and bio-medical

research within the country. Once the policy is amended, animal species like

rabbit, barking deer, wild boar and monkey can be bred in captivity.

 

The Wildlife Farming Policy, 2003 does not allow the trade of animals even

within the country. " The existing policy has many loopholes as far as animal

farming and its sustainable utilisation is concerned, " said Bhatt, stressing the

need to amend the policy.

 

Meanwhile, a group of animal rights activists on Friday protested against what

it called " the high death rate of rhesus monkeys " at the Monkey Breeding Centre

in Lele, Lalitpur district. In a statement, Animal Welfare Network Nepal said,

" At least 30 out of 310 captive monkeys have died of communicable diseases. "

 

Manoj Gautam of Roots and Shoots Organisation said the monkey breeding centre's

objective was to provide rhesus monkeys for US laboratories, where they conduct

bio-medical research. He said the practice was illegal. Gautam called for an

immediate ban on capturing and breeding of the primates in the country.

 

According to Gautam, the working policy on wildlife breeding farming and

research had cleared the path for breeding of rhesus monkey for bio-medical

research.

 

Posted on: 2008-12-12 20:56:20

 

Please send courteous letters to Nepalese government officials and embassies to

express your support for the protection of Nepal's monkeys from trade and

opposition to any export of monkeys. Explain that, once monkeys are in a

foreign country, there will be no way to monitor their fate. Please ask for the

rehabilitation and release of the already-captured monkeys and for a total ban

on capture of any more monkeys. Postage from the U.S. to Nepal is 94 cents per

ounce (addresses of other Nepalese embassies can be found at

http://www.welcomenepal.com/brand/missions.asp

Rt. Honorable Mr. Puspa Kamal Dahal Prime Minister Singha Darbar Kathmandu,

Nepal Email: <infoinfo Mr. Shyam Bajimaya

Direstor General Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation

Kathmandu, Nepal <infoinfo or

dnpwc

Mr. Kiran Gurung, Minister Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation Kathmandu.

Nepal His Excellency the Ambassador of Nepal Embassy of Nepal

12a, Kensington Palace Gardens London W8 4QU, United Kingdom

His Excellency the Ambassador of Nepal Embassy of Nepal

2131 Leroy Place, N.W.

Washington, DC 20008, USA

 

Dr. Shirley McGreal, OBE,

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 __________