A recent successful raid on Ko Samui by the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Division of the Royal Thai Police ended with the confiscation of 8 baby White-handed Gibbons with the owners charged with illegal wildlife possession and animal torture.

The practice of offering tourists the opportunity to have their photos taken with often endangered species has been rife on Ko samui and this crackdown is welcome. In order to obtain 1 baby gibbon it has been estimated that 8 gibbons die as the only way to obtain a baby is to shoot the mother.

For full article and more photos see Wildlife Friends of Thailand website

While i agree with the sentiment in this case...some interaction and photos with the right type of animals is actually a good thing for people and the animals in the long term.

While having several vacations on Koh Samui I often came across people offering to take picture with monkeys and other endangered animals, and many foreigners do, which is very sad. It's good that Thai police actually cares about it, cos I wanted to report this kind of thing, but thought nobody would care...

While having several vacations on Koh Samui I often came across people offering to take picture with monkeys and other endangered animals, and many foreigners do, which is very sad. It's good that Thai police actually cares about it, cos I wanted to report this kind of thing, but thought nobody would care...

dont worry the monkeys are back ,with the lizards and snakes and kids with flowers,arrest one ,two replace them

dont worry the monkeys are back ,with the lizards and snakes and kids with flowers,arrest one ,two replace them

yea, unfortunately....but what about all the animals in Chatuchak? nobody cares about them......

While i agree with the sentiment in this case...some interaction and photos with the right type of animals is actually a good thing for people and the animals in the long term.

I was visiting a buddy in Honduras years back. He had a monkey for a pet. Cute little guy, it would just be up to little comic escapes that would make you laugh. He was very hands on loved to be held and carried around perched on your shoulder.

My friend flew us in his piper cub to San Pedro de Sula for our flight back to the US, and of course the monkey was with us.

I'd cut my hand a little while diving and had a small cut. no more than a boo boo, but it was maybe 12 hours or more between hand washing. Ended up with a pretty bad infection in the hand.

Since then its been hands off of the monkeys.

Does not mean the monkies gave you the infection, if you did it under water, coral does infect cuts easily.

I have 2 monkies, they have scratched me and bit me at times, but never infected in any way whatsoever.

In order to obtain 1 baby gibbon it has been estimated that 8 gibbons die as the only way to obtain a baby is to shoot the mother.

Why would 8 die?

Why would shooting the mother be the only way to obtain a monkey?

Couldn't i just go down to JJ and buy a monkey without shooting anyones mother?

Yes you can and some are even captive bred.

Maybe they mean because the mother is shot, that is her future babies lost forever.

Also I think it is exagerated that the 'only' way to get a baby is to shoot the mother when I think they mean the 'easiest' way.

I have pinned this article into a new thread in the travel forum:

Tips For Travellers And Travelling In Thailand, Please add your own

I think many tourists would be horrified to find that they are encouraging the destruction of endangered species by having their photos taken with these animals.

and MrSquigle, you are right, it is the easiest method so therefore the most widely practiced.

I thought you meant the ones from Isarn.....!!!

Does not mean the monkies gave you the infection, if you did it under water, coral does infect cuts easily.

I have 2 monkies, they have scratched me and bit me at times, but never infected in any way whatsoever.

Actually I did it pulling myself on board, doctor who treated infection specifically asked if had handled any animals.