10 Orangutans in Thailand Have No Way Home

The chances of at least 10 orangutans stranded in Thailand of going home to their native Indonesia are looking increasingly slim because of financial constraints.

The orangutans, which were brought to Thailand through illegal trade, are now being held at the Thai government’s Khao Phra rehabilitation center, about 100 kilometers outside Bangkok.

“We are aware of [the orangutans’] status and we have written to the Thai government offering to share the costs of a repatriation shipment, but they have not responded to our requests,” said Harry Santosa, director of biodiversity conservation at the Ministry of Forestry.

Harry said there were no regulations, even in the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, on how to return illegally traded species to their countries of origin.

“It seems that if the Thai government agreed to pay [to return the orangutans], it might look as if they had taken part in the stealing of the animals,” he said.

“But, if all of the expenses were dumped on us, it would be too expensive to bear.”

full story: thejakartaglobe.com

-- JakartaGlobe

2010-07-28

Now that this has been reported in the press, it will hopefully receive some Government support