Cameroon are finalised
14 September 2007
Pretoria, South Africa â The four Western Lowland Gorillas, affectionately
known as the Taiping Four, will be returned to Cameroon during the week of 28
November to 3 December 2007. The official announcement regarding the plans and
timing towards the relocation of the animals was made by South Africa's Deputy
Minister of Science and Technology, Derek Hanekom, at a celebratory function
held that Pretoria's zoo earlier today.
This effectively ends the five-year saga surrounding the four animals when
they made international headlines in Malaysia in 2002. At the time, the four
young gorillas (one male and three females), were illegally smuggled to the
Taiping Zoo in Malaysia through forged documents. The Malaysian government,
through its CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora) Management Authority, subsequently confiscated and
transferred the animals to the Pretoria Zoo, where they have been housed for
safekeeping since 2004.
The celebratory function, officiated by Deputy Minister Hanekom earlier
today, was attended by the governments of Malaysia, Cameroon and IFAW
(International Fund for Animal Welfare â http://www.ifaw.org) which is funding the return of
the gorillas. IFAW is one of a number of organisations including the Pan
African Sanctuary Alliance (Pasa), the Last Great Ape Organisation (Laga), the
International Primate Protection League (IPPL) and Born Free that have lobbied
consistently to have the gorillas returned to Cameroon.
Deputy Minister Hanekom thanked the governments of Malaysia and Cameroon for
acting in the best interests of the gorillas by agreeing to send them to
Cameroon, and acknowledged the efforts of the non-governmental organisation
(NGO) community in encouraging this decision. Although the exact circumstances
of how the gorillas were originally captured as infants are not certain, they
were more than likely victims of the bush meat trade. Typically adult gorillas
are killed for meat and their young taken for sale with at least four out of
five infants dying before they reach adequate care. "We would like to send a
strong message to all would-be smugglers and poachers that the illegal
smuggling of animals will not be tolerated by the international community,"
said Deputy Minister Hanekom.
The gorillas will return to their native country, Cameroon, following an
official request by the Government of Cameroon, supported by the IFAW. "IFAW
and other NGO groups have campaigned long and hard to encourage the various
governments involved to uphold the regulations of the Convention on the
International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and to have the gorillas sent
back to Cameroon," said Christina Pretorius of IFAW. "We're delighted that a
final decision has been reached and we will be working closely with the
National Zoological Gardens (NZG) of South Africa (SA) to ensure the safe
return of the Taiping four to Cameroon later this year."
The gorillas will be relocated to the Limbe Wildlife Centre sanctuary in
Cameroon during November 2007, the start of the dry season in Cameroon and
which will provide the gorillas the best opportunity to adapt to their new
home. Limbe's head gorilla keeper will spend time with the gorillas at the
National Zoological Gardens (NZG) in Pretoria, South Africa, ahead of their
departure, and a primate keeper from the NZG of SA will travel to Cameroon with
the gorillas to assist in easing them into their new environment.
Limbe's readiness to receive the gorillas was confirmed by Clifford Nxomani,
the Executive Director of the NZG who headed a South African delegation that
visited the sanctuary in August with the respective agencies. "The National Zoo
has housed the Taiping Four to the best of its ability and will work closely
with the parties involved to ensure the safe translocation of the four young
gorillas" said Nxomani. The Limbe Wildlife Centre has been identified by the
Government of Cameroon, IFAW and other NGOs as a suitable centre of excellence
to provide long-term care for the gorillas. Limbe is a member of the Pan
African Sanctuaries Alliance (Pasa).
All interested parties are invited to visit the Taiping Four at the Pretoria
Zoo by the beginning of November 2007, before the animals are quarantined and
prepared for their journey.
For more information contact:
Kristin Klose
Director: Media liaison and Communication
Department of Science and Technology
Tel: 012 843 6785
Cell: 082 902 9530
E-mail: Kristin.klose@dst.gov.za
Christina Pretorius
Public Affairs Manager
International Fund for Animal Welfare
Tel: 021 424 2086
Cell: 082 330 2558
E-mail: cpretorius@ifaw.org
Visits to the Zoo contact:
Craig Allenby
National Zoological Gardens, Pretoria, South Africa
Tel: 012 328 3265
Cell: 082 908 3137
E-mail: craig@zoo.ac.za
Issued by: Department of Science and Technology, International Fund for
Animal Welfare and National Zoological Gardens of South Africa
14 September 2007
Source: Department of Science and Technology (http://www.dst.gov.za)
