Nepal halts monkey exports to labs

[Guest guest]

From ANIMAL PEOPLE, September 2009:

 

 

 

Nepal halts monkey exports to labs

 

KATHMANDU--Nepalese animal advocades on August 27, 2009

celebrated success in preventing Nepal from entering the fast-growing

traffic in exporting monkeys from developing nations to research labs.

" Around 300 monkeys who were to be exported to the U.S. will

be able to find their food in freedom, in their own country, "

headlined the Kathmandu Post.

" We have decided not to allow the monkeys to be exported, "

announced Nepal forestry minister Deepak Bohara. " We will ask

Pravesh Man Shrestha, " the prospective monkey exporter, " to release

the monkeys within a week. "

Explained the Kathmandu Post, " After consulting the

department heads of the ministry, Bohara came to the conclusion that

it was illegal to export the monkeys. "

" The law does not permit the export of any wild animals.

Thus giving approval to export the monkeys would contravene the law, "

affirmed an anonymous ministry undersecretary. " The Ministry has

concluded, " the undersecretary told the Kathmandu Post, " that the

monkeys should be released to their natural environment. "

The monkeys who were to have been exported are the offspring

of a wild-caught colony kept at Lele, Nepal. U.S. law forbids the

import of wild-caught monkeys, to inhibit the accidental import of

diseases caught in the wild. Instead, breeding stock are caught

from the wild, and their young are exported. Some sellers have been

caught, however, exporting wild-caught monkeys with the claim that

they were captive-bred.

The Nepal Biodiversity Research Center and National

Biomedical Research Center, both involved in the monkey breeding

scheme behind the scenes, according to Nepalese media, had

reportedly long lobbied for permission to begin the exports.

However, " In February 2009 a parliamentary committee ordered

the ministry to stop the process of exporting rhesus monkeys for

biomedical research. Concerned citizens in January 2009 filed a

public interest case at the Supreme Court, " recalled Dutch freelance

journalist Lucia de Vries, a longtime resident of Nepal. The

Supreme Court filing apparently prompted Bohara's intradepartmental

consultation.

Said the Kathmandu Post, " As a first step Shrestha planned

to export 25 of the 300 monkeys to the Southwest Foundation for

Biomedical Research. Shrestha was breeding the monkeys under the

auspices of the Nepal Biomedical Research Center. American citizens

who financially supported this venture have now landed in Kathmandu

looking for compensation. "

Funded by the Nepal Natural History Society and the

Washington Primate Research Center, Shrestha reportedly began

developing his monkey business in 2001. He bought about 200

wild-caught monkeys in 2003.

" People are catching and selling monkeys to middle men for

this purpose at the rate of about $300 U.S. each, " de Vries wrote to

ANIMAL PEOPLE in December 2003.

Since then, recalled International Primate Protection League

founder Shirley McGreal, " Four or five ministers came and went,

high level bureaucrats changed posittions, and the population of

captive monkeys increased significantly. "

 

Corruption

 

The most significant change--for the monkeys as well as

Nepal--was the abolition of the corrupt monarchy that had ruled Nepal

for 240 years. The monkey export scheme was brokered and Shrestha

bought the 200 wild-caught monkeys during the five-year reign of King

Gyanendra, a prominent practitioner of animal sacrifice. Gyandendra

took office after Crown Prince Dipendra, an avid hunter, on June 1,

2001 shot nine members of the royal family, including the previous

king and queen, and then shot himself.

Gyanendra in February 2005 suspended the Nepalese parliament

and introduced martial law, in the name of fighting a long Maoist

insurgency. He was forced by public protest to reinstate the

parliament in April 2006. The Gyanendra regime was formally

stripped of authority in December 2006. In March 2008 an audit

confirmed years of rumors that the Nepalese royal family had

extensively misused their authority over wildlife conservation for

personal benefit.

The most prominent offender was Gyanendra, who had

represented Nepal in dealings with the World Wildlife Fund since

1974, and had headed the King Mahendra National Trust for Nature

Conservation from formation in 1982 until his ascension to the

throne, when he appointed his son Paras to succeed him. The

auditors found that the Mahendra Trust had operated as a mechanism

for converting conservation funding and wildlife assets to the

personal benefit of royal family members.

" Animal Welfare Network Nepal calls for the professional

rehabilitation of the more than 300 monkeys kept at the Lele breeding

center. The government is responsible for taking the monkeys out of

their cages and rehabilitating them in a professional manner, "

Animal Welfare Network Nepal spokesperson Manoj Gautam e-mailed to

ANIMAL PEOPLE and other media. " Those born in the Lele center need

to be taught how to survive in the wild. Those caught from the wild

need to be released gradually, as they have spent many years in

captivity, " Gautam said.

About 60 wild-caught monkeys and offspring have died since

2003, Animal Welfare Network Nepal estimates.

" Animal Welfare Network Nepal also requests the government to

pass an Animal Welfare Act, include a clause on animal welfare in

the new constitution, and halt commercial wildlife breeding, "

Gautam added. " The network is concerned about a possible 'upgrading'

of the much criticized Wildlife Breeding Act 2003, " produced by the

Gyanendra regime, " which would reintroduce monkey business through a

back door.

" The network reminds the minister that Nepal has no animal

welfare legislation and that there are no legal tools to monitor and

prosecute animal abusers, " Gautam said. " Breeding [monkeys] further

opens the door for biomedical research within Nepal, which is

completely unregulated. "

Formed in 2008, Animal Welfare Network Nepal is a coalition

representing Animal Nepal, the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre,

Kirtipur Rescue, Roots & Shoots Nepal, the SPCA Nepal, and

Streetdogs of Nepal.

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]