Staff Writer
In response to public protest and a legal challenge brought by animal lovers, the bankrupt government of Sri Lanka said on Monday that it was abandoning plans to transfer over 100,000 endangered monkeys to China.
The toque macaque is unique to Sri Lanka and widespread across the 22 million-person island. However, it is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List.
In June, Mahinda Amaraweera, the agriculture minister, stated that China wanted the monkeys for 1,000 zoos throughout the nation as a response to the animals destroying crops.
However, Sri Lanka’s Department of animal Conservation (DWC) informed the Court of Appeal on Monday that it had decided against proceeding with the export and that the complaint brought by 30 environmental and animal activists may be dropped.
“A state attorney informed court on behalf of the DWC that no monkeys will be exported to China or elsewhere,” a court representative told AFP.
Supporters of wildlife applauded the government’s move to halt the shipments.
In a succinct statement, they added, “This is an excellent result for wildlife conservation in Sri Lanka.”
China was experiencing its worst economic crisis at the time of the proposed sale to China. Financial information was not disclosed.
After going into default on its $46 billion in foreign debt and declaring bankruptcy in April of last year, Sri Lanka was compelled to obtain a rescue from the IMF in March of this year.
According to media sources, China may have desired to import such a big number of monkeys from Sri Lanka for medical research.
Because they destroy crops, raid villages in search of food, and occasionally attack humans, monkeys are regarded as pests in Sri Lanka.
This year, Sri Lanka removed many species from a protected list, including peacocks and all three of its monkey species.
After going into default on its $46 billion in foreign debt and declaring bankruptcy in April of last year, Sri Lanka was compelled to obtain a rescue from the IMF in March of this year.
According to media sources, China may have desired to import such a big number of monkeys from Sri Lanka for medical research.
Because they destroy crops, raid villages in search of food, and occasionally attack humans, monkeys are regarded as pests in Sri Lanka.
This year, Sri Lanka removed many species from a protected list, including peacocks and all three of its monkey species.
