Activists Seek Ban On Bangkok Boxing Apes

[george]

Activists seek ban on boxing apes

BANGKOK: -- An international animal rights group has called on Thailand to ban controversial kickboxing fights between endangered orang-utans held daily at a Bangkok wildlife park.

The orang-utans, wearing boxing gloves and garish shorts, are put in a ring and encouraged to fight their opponents using fists, knees, elbows and feet.

The operators of the Safari World animal park say the fights – which start with the Rocky movie theme and include chimpanzees wearing bikinis carrying cards with the bout number – are choreographed and that no animal is harmed.

But animal rights groups said the apes were being exploited for easy profits and they were destined for a short and miserable existence after their days in the ring were over.

"It's outrageous. There's no question of it being justifiable in any sort of way," said Cyril Rosen, a board member of the International Primate Protection League.

Such treatment of the endangered orang-utans could have a long-term effect on the species' survival, he said, and called for a tourist boycott of the park.

If orang-utans were deprived of their long upbringing, they lost their maternal instincts, which in turn affected their chances of breeding, Mr Rosen said.

Not everyone is so concerned. At a show yesterday, the audience cheered as two orang-utans pummelled each other.

"If we were doing a cruel show we do not have to let anyone tell us. We would cancel it ourselves," Safari World managing director Pin Kewkacha said.

But Thai animals rights groups say they have contacted Safari World about the orang-utan fights many times.

"But they won't stop because it is good for business and not illegal," said Roger Lohanan from Thai Solidarity for the Protection of Animals.

"There is not an animal cruelty law in Thailand covering this sort of thing."

-- The Australian 2004-07-29

[george]

Thailand to DNA test allegedly smuggled apes at 'kickboxing' wildlife park

BANGKOK: -- Thai authorities said on Thursday they plan to DNA test more than 100 allegedly smuggled orangutans at a Bangkok wildlife park already battling a boycott over controversial ape kickboxing fights.

Indonesian forestry officials met with their Thai counterparts in Bangkok Thursday to fast-track testing of 110 orangutans, which Thai police discovered during a raid on the park last year.

"It is quite sure that those orangutans were smuggled from Indonesia," Thai police Maj. Gen. Sawek Pinsinchai told AFP, without outlining what penalty the park would face if found guilty.

Safari World has faced a barrage of international criticism this week as several animal rights groups called for boycotts over the staging of kickboxing bouts between the endangered orangutans.

Thai forestry officials attended an ape fight on Wednesday -- in which orangutans clash wearing gaudy shorts and boxing gloves -- but have so far not commented on what, if any action, the government might take to stop the bouts.

Orangutans are native to Indonesia and Malaysia but hunting and loss of habitat has seen their numbers tumble to fewer than 20,000, according to the Orangutan Foundation.

--AFP 2004-07-29

[george]

Update:

Orangutan boxing banned at animal park

Seizure order for Safari World's apes

BANGKOK: -- Forestry police have banned Safari World from putting on a show in which orangutans perform Thai boxing.

The prohibition follows the seizure of the park's 110 orangutans, which Safari World is suspected of obtaining illegally.

Pol Lt-Col Chatchai Thamvichai said the seized animals could not be used for commercial gain.

Police went to the zoo in suburban Bangkok on Friday and slapped a confiscation order on the apes.

The unusually high number of 110 orangutans at the park have raised suspicions many may have been smuggled from Malaysia or Indonesia, the last two places where these endangered animals still live in the wild. The zoo was accused of smuggling early this year and last week Taiwanese wildlife experts called for a boycott by Taiwanese tourists.

Safari World managing director Pin Kewkacha played down the impact the ban would have.

``The ban coincides with our plan to repair the old stage for the show,'' he said yesterday.

The orangutan show was the smallest act at the zoo, which had seven other shows which were bigger.

He earlier insisted the park's treatment of the apes was not cruel, saying the show was only intended as a ``fun activity''.

Mr Pin also denied the allegation that his company smuggled orangutans into Thailand from abroad.

The increase in the number of the apes resulted from a successful breeding programme, supplemented by donations of animals from members of the public, Mr Pin said. ``I don't have anything to do with smuggling. I have nothing to confess.''

Pol Lt-Col Chatchai said the National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation Department had been informed of the seizures.The department could take orangutans to a safe place, or leave them all at the zoo.

``The apes might get a little stressed if taken out, but there would not be any problems,'' said Schwann Tunhikorn, director of the Wildlife Conservation Bureau.

A careful decision would be made after the department received official notification from forestry police, he said.

--The Post 2004-08-04

[meemiathai]

and last week Taiwanese wildlife experts called for a boycott by Taiwanese tourists.

Is that a joke?????

Taiwanese are one of the most cruel to animals human beings on earth!!!!

Edited August 7, 2004 by george

[george]

Update:

Safari World faces additional charges

BANGKOK: – The Thai authorities say additional charges are to be filed against the management of the Safari World, the largest and single open zoo in Bangkok.

This follows a check of the number of orangutans impounded by the zoo authorities which showed that 41 were missing, under what were described as mysterious circumstances, a senior officer said.

An order to impound the primates was issued after the zoo reported 110 orangutans in their care, which is an endangered species, the local senior police officer, Maj. Gen. Sawek Pinsinchai, said on Friday.

“Zoo officials said the orangutans were alive and well, and then a week later they suspiciously changed their tune”, he said.

Maj. Gen. Sawek said Safari World’s management, which claimed that the missing orangutans had died during a recent outbreak, could face additional charges of tampering with evidence.

Maj. Gen. Sawek led a group of police investigators who questioned the Safari World deputy general manager and chief veterinarian Phuwanat Saengsue about the missing orangutans on Friday.

Mr. Phuwanat insisted that the 41 orangutans have died of respiratory illnesses triggered by heavy rain between February and April.

He said the carcasses were destroyed to prevent the spread of infection.

The remaining 110 orangutans were impounded last week but left in the care of the private zoo pending an investigation.

This followed complaints by animal-rights advocates that Safari World had mistreated the animals by making them take part in mock kick-boxing matches.

--TNA 2004-08-07

[stumonster]

Boxing orangutans may return home

From correspondents in Bangkok

April 18, 2006

MORE than 50 orangutans which were smuggled to Thailand to perform in kickboxing matches may finally return to their home countries two years after the government seized them.

Thailand will hold talks with Malaysia and Indonesia later this week to determine where they should go, the deputy chief of Thai national parks said today.

"During the meeting we will finally decide which country the 54 orangutans will return to," Chawann Tunhikorn said.

Officials from Malaysia and Indonesia will visit the Thai capital on Friday and Saturday to decide the fate of the orangutans.

Thai officials say they were smuggled to the country to perform boxing matches at a private Bangkok zoo.

Thai authorities seized 114 orangutans in raid two years ago on the Safari World zoo in Bangkok's eastern outskirts.

The zoo owner claimed they were bred in captivity, but DNA tests proved 57 were not born in the in-house breeding program but had apparently come from outside Thailand.

The orangutans were trained to fight each other in kickboxing matches for spectators at the zoo.

The government seized the 57 and took them to the Khao Pratap Chang wildlife preserve, where three have since died.

Chawann insisted Thailand always wanted to repatriate the animals, but deciding where to send them had proved difficult.

Experts believe some of the animals were smuggled from islands shared by Malaysia and Indonesia.

"We had already made our decision, but we wanted to return them through the proper channels," he said.

Orangutans are the only great ape to be found outside of Africa, and are native to the island of Sumatra in Indonesia and to Borneo, an island shared by Indonesia, Malaysia and Brunei.

Scientists roughly estimate 27,000 are left in the wild.

They are considered an endangered species and their trade is banned internationally.

Experts agree the orangutan population has declined dramatically and smuggling is a major problem.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...54-1702,00.html

[Mr Ling Noi]

It seems like to much this and then that, back and forward info given by the zoo. It kind of reminds me in a funny way of thai politics, lie, cheat, swindel, import, pay, pay, pay and do what ever it takes to make a dollar. i am no activist but i can't stand the disregard that people can put into endagered animals.

I enjoy zoo's for what they are, I also enjoy Circuses, but to hear about 'wild' animals being taken from the wild to entertain or what ever makes me sick really. why can't the bangkok zoo just do it leagally?

41 die, come on, thats just mad, how can they own a zoo and have 41 animals of the same species die in what time period? Of couse the time period that they are being checked for something.

I think that if 41 animals of ONLY one kind died because of the weather in any other country, then there would be all sorts of shi1t to answer for (proper accomidation for starters).

I wil personally not vist this zoo and hope others out there will not also, how many other things are done under the table that have not been discovered yet??

[Mr Ling Noi]

Update:

Safari World faces additional charges

This follows a check of the number of orangutans impounded by the zoo authorities which showed that 41 were missing, under what were described as mysterious circumstances, a senior officer said.

“Zoo officials said the orangutans were alive and well, and then a week later they suspiciously changed their tune”, he said.

Due to the latest scare by atthorities

Maj. Gen. Sawek said Safari World’s management, which claimed that the missing orangutans had died during a recent outbreak,

Or locked in a basement

Mr. Phuwanat insisted that the 41 orangutans have died of respiratory illnesses triggered by heavy rain between February and April.

He said the carcasses were destroyed to prevent the spread of infection.

[madmitch]

Mr. Phuwanat insisted that the 41 orangutans have died of respiratory illnesses triggered by heavy rain between February and April

They come from the rainforest <deleted>

[Kan Win]

Heard about that as well, but then at least,

we are in the wild and are free to beg for food from tourists that just happen to pass by our little place in Kan, unlike our families and friends caged up and performing tricks.

Me too Grand-paa,

wish, I could have a Cola or two. Ohh, well back to the drawing board with that idea.

Yours truly,

Kan Win

P.S. And yes, these are Wild Monkeys found in Kanchanaburi Province.

Edited April 18, 2006 by Kan Win

[cobra]

These Rights groups are insensitive to the livelihoods of the affected,,

First they outlawed Freak Shows, (the Freaks didn't have a problem with it, it was employment),

Then they outlawed Midget Tossing and Midget Bowling,

Again, no more Kangaroo boxing either, and most dog tracks are gone,

Let's see them try to stop horse racing, fat chance.

At least Female Midget Wrestling is still safe,

[jdinasia]

so ... they only paid the Orangutans Peanuts (and bananas) They'll still get paid bananas without the bruises

[wolf5370]

Any of you ever been to the show?

I have , a couple of times. It envolved chimps mostly and a few orungs. The only creatures getting thumped, kicked or punched, are the human 'boxing managers', and ref. It is so obviously all staged and really quite funny. I can't see anyone who actually saw the show being more annoyed at that than they would at say elephant football etc.

The park is big and the animal enclosures seem big and consistant with western zoos. There are many shows there and most have no animal content at all (wild west show/future show/James Bond show etc).

If I was to close a show it would be Nong Nooch Park where apes are locked in tiny cages in which they can hardly turn around in the blazing sun. Where they are thirsty and hungry. Where I have seen handlers hitting tigers over the head with rocks (fist sized) hard enough to hear the crack from across a court yard - and laugh when told off by the public Thai and Farang alike (Tigers being old and having had their teeth and claws removed of course). Birds are kept in an aviary smaller than my garden shed (some big birds too like Peacocks). Horrible place - and the best example I have seen in LoS of the dual pricing scheme).

As to the 41 missing. I'm not sure. Maybe they died as he said. Maybe through mistreatment, as implied. Maybe they were sold on to other zoos etc to keep the costs down.

They would obviously be happier in the Indonesian jungle - if they could live there without being made into ashtrays and bush meat for the Indonesian, Japanese and Chinese/Taiwanese dinner plates! or burt out of the trees by loggers and settlers.

Why doesn't the Taiwanese look into the milking of brown bears for bile, the eating of endangered species or the illegal ivory/horn/animal part trade that is so rampant closer to home! Maybe they want to keep up the supply from Indonesia without those pesky zoos getting in the way.

[britmaveric]

Sounds interesting - hopefully ban won't take affect. I'd like to see some of the handlers pummeled by a few ling.

[cdnvic]

Yeah it's more of a comedy show than anything. Unlike a cockfight which can seriously injure or kill the animal. And the previous post about Taiwanese attitudes toward animal rights is spot on.

cv

[sriracha john]

UPDATE

Safari World has been forced to comply, now how about Chiang Mai Night Safari??? Or are they just waiting for them to escape and make it back to Indonesia on their own?

Thailand to return smuggled orangutans to Indonesia next month

BANGKOK: Thailand next month will repatriate dozens of smuggled Indonesian orangutans which were confiscated from a safari park two years ago, authorities said Wednesday.

But questions remain over the future of five of the smuggled orangutans that have been "loaned" to the Chiang Mai Night Safari -- a pet project of Thai Prime Minister Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The 53 orangutans were among 100 orangutans confiscated in August 2004 from the private Safari World zoo near Bangkok, where they were forced to perform in daily boxing matches. Of those seized, 54 were found to be illegally smuggled and one has died.

"We want to send them all back," said Damrong Phidej, director-general of Agriculture Ministry's National Parks Department. "We don't want to take care of them."

Thai and Indonesian officials said they expected the 48 to be returned on a flight in mid-September. The orangutans will be shipped to a rehabilitation center on Indonesia's island of Kalimantan (Borneo).

"For the time being, we are talking only about 48, not including the ones in Chiang Mai," said Wisnu Pratignyo, political counselor at the Indonesia Embassy in Bangkok. "The ministry officials mentioned 48. That's why we're now discussing only 48."

The 53 orangutans were being kept at a wildlife breeding center in Ratchaburi province, 95 kilometers west of Bangkok.

Five of those orangutans were loaned to the Chiang Mai Night Safari last year, a national parks official said on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.

Damrong insisted they were loaned to the park because there was not enough space at Ratchaburi, adding they too would eventually be returned to Indonesia.

"Night Safari has veterinarians and everything to take care of them, so we lent them temporarily," Damrong said. "There was one condition that if Indonesia wanted us to send them back, we would have to send them all back."

The Chiang Mai Night Safari, a project initiated by Thaksin in his hometown in northern Thailand, has been a subject of extensive controversy for attempting to import animals from Kenya and export animals to other countries. It also at one timefloated a proposal to offer exotic animal meats on its menu for visitors.

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna, lists orangutans as endangered, meaning trade in the animals is tightly restricted.

- Jakarta Post and Associated Press

[Kido]

The Indonesia and Malaysia jungle have been destroy by corrupted government to replant plam oil trees, no more space for orang utan as you can see in animal planet channel, If we went to zoo seeing dolpines, parrots,whales etc during show time what 's wrong for the orang utan show?

If we need to ban due to animal rights then all other zoos in the world should ban their animals show too.

[sriracha john]

The Indonesia and Malaysia jungle have been destroy by corrupted government to replant plam oil trees, no more space for orang utan as you can see in animal planet channel, If we went to zoo seeing dolpines, parrots,whales etc during show time what 's wrong for the orang utan show?

If we need to ban due to animal rights then all other zoos in the world should ban their animals show too.

The answer is in the paragraph just above your post:

CITES, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna, lists orangutans as endangered, meaning trade in the animals is tightly restricted.

They were illegally smuggled in.

This particular Boxing animal show was despicable. Any other similarly unnatural and degrading show should be ended just like this one was. Not all animal shows fall into that category, however.