ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka ‘s Agricultural Minister criticized the move by environmental groups to stop proposed “monkey business” with a Chinese firm through a court order and demanded the same groups to find a solution for crop damage by the animal.
Sri Lanka made global headlines when Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said he was in discussion with a Chinese firm to export 100,000 monkeys for some zoos in China.
Thirty petitioners including some environmental organizations filed action in the Court of Appeal against the statement made by Amaraweera regarding the exporting of toque macaque monkeys to China. On June 26, the Attorney General stated that the Department of Wildlife and Conservation had issued instructions mentioning that they would not be taking steps to export the monkeys to China.
Amaraweera wanted to export toque macaque monkeys because of excess crop damage caused by them.
“We have to ask about the damage by monkeys from those (environmental organizations),” Amaraweera told a media briefing in Colombo on Monday (17) when asked about the crop damaging monkeys.
He said with the monkey exporting story, Sri Lanka got requests from many other countries to provide them the crop damaging animals as well.
“But unfortunately there are organizations which are based in Colombo and receive dollars from foreign countries. They have now stopped the move by going to the court,” the minister said.
“But there is significant crop damage. If we get an opportunity tomorrow, we are ready to act on the idea. This is not something I should only do. Many ministries should get together and do this. From our side, I suggest somehow either by sending them to other countries or through any other means, control them.”
He said the Chinese company in writing asked for 100,000 toque macaque monkeys in several batches and the first batch was to consist of 2000.
“It is for the zoos and they have around 20,000 zoos. But a lot of environmental organizations in our countries started to shout that this was to eat monkey’s brain and meat. They influenced China, its embassy here, protested and did all sorts of things. While we were trying to verify the company, they have also gone to the courts. The court has now stopped it.”
Export of wild animals is banned by Sri Lanka, but the government earlier this year removed several species, including monkeys, from a protected list allowing farmers to kill them because of excess crop damage.
Sri Lankan authorities have estimated the monkey population at two to three million in the South Asian nation of 22 million people. Monkeys are considered pests by farmers. (Colombo/July 17/2023)
if the Minister wants to export Monkeys to China due to crop damage, then he also should start exporting Elephants to avoid crop damages?
Minister should be educated that monkeys are sent to China for food and how come India and other countries sustain the crops with these primates.
we need educated people to run the country. it is an insult to our Intelligence