Colombo: Sri Lanka has decided to sell 100,000 monkeys to China, a move that has sparked concern internationally.
According to media reports, struggling with a financial crisis, Sri Lanka plans to export a significant number of toque macaque monkeys to China. Many animal rights organizations have expressed reservations and concerns about this decision.
The formal announcement of this decision was made by Mahinda Amaraweera, Sri Lanka’s Minister of Agriculture. He clarified that while these monkeys are commonly found in Sri Lanka, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) highlights the risks to the survival of this monkey species worldwide. The Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka and other petitioners have gone to court to overturn the government’s proposal.
However, Amaraweera mentioned that these monkeys would be sold for the establishment of 1,000 zoos in China, and a committee has been formed for this purpose.
Sri Lanka asserts that the growing population of monkeys not only damages crops but also poses a threat to humans. The country has removed several animals, including monkeys, peacocks, and wild boars, from the protected list, allowing people to kill them for protection.
On the other hand, animal rights organizations criticize the government’s decision, stating that no survey has been conducted on the monkey population in the last 40 years, and determining their actual numbers is essential before making such decisions.
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