NP- Monkey Business Lands in Court

[Guest guest]

* Monkey Business Lands in Court*

 

*KIRAN CHAPAGAIN *

KATHMANDU, Jan 21: A group of animal rights activists have sought the

Supreme Court to interfere with the government's proposed plan to permit

export of Nepal's rhesus macaque monkey to US for scientific researches.

 

They moved the Supreme Court on Wednesday with a public interest litigation

seeking the court to stop the government from exporting what they called the

endangered animals.

 

They argued in the petition that the proposed export would affect the

population of the " endangered " animals which are particularly high in demand

for research because of their genetic makeup.

 

Well known to science owing to its relatively easy upkeep in captivity, the

rhesus macaque monkeys are well known to science owing to its relatively

easy upkeep in captivity and have been used extensively in medical and

biological research, according to Wikipedia. Following a ban on export by

India in 1978, there is shortage of the rhesus monkeys for scientific

studies.

 

Photo Courtesy: National Geographic Society

 

The petitioners alleged that the government is in the process of permitting

the export of the rhesus monkeys to the US-based Washington University, in

violation of the Wildlife Act. The Supreme Court is holding its first

hearing on the case on Thursday, according to advocate Vijay Singh, who is

going to plead on behalf of the petitioners.

 

Nepal opened the door for the use of rhesus monkeys for research in 2003

when it formulated Wildlife Farming Breeding and Reach Working Policy that

allowed breeding of animals in captivity. The policy says that captive-bred

animals can be used for scientific research. Currently, the Department of

National Parks and Wildlife Conservation have permitted two private sector

organizations for breeding and reproduction of the rhesus monkeys.

 

According to the petitioners, Nepal Biodiversity Research Center and

National Biomedical Research Center are currently involved in the captive

breeding of the monkeys in Nepal and have been lobbying the government for

permission for the export of the monkeys.

 

According to Environment News Service, an environmental wire service, China

does export captive-bred macaques. Scientists have noticed a number of

behavioral and physiological differences in disease progression between

animals from two countries, the wire reported in its website.

 

However, some animal rights activists have protested the proposed export of

the monkeys from Nepal. The Environment Wire Service quoted renowned

primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall as saying on the export of Nepal's rhesus

monkeys, , " Nepal´s monkeys are both sacred and beautiful creatures. They

should not be exported to any country for research purposes, but should be

allowed to live wild and free. "

 

Animal Nepal and Wildlife Watch Groups have also opposed the breeding and

exporting of Nepalese monkeys for biomedical research in America.

 

In the past, these groups have collected the signatures of more than 1,100

people from 21 nations on a petition calling on the government of Nepal to

cancel its plans to establish laboratories using rhesus monkeys and to

export monkeys, the wire reported.

 

kiran

 

 

Published on 2009-01-21 23:59:59

http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details & news_id=1314

 

--

Lucia de Vries

Freelance Journalist

Bagdol, Patan, Nepal

Wijk 4-47, 8321 GE Urk, Holland