100,000 Monkeys’ China trip cancelled

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal that the decision to export 100,000 of Toque Macaque monkeys to China will be stopped.

Deputy Solicitor General Manohara Jayasinghe appearing for the Wildlife Department made this revelation when a writ petition filed challenging the proposed capture and exportation of Toque Macaque monkeys to China came before the Court of Appeal.

Animal rights activists told the court that they were glad to hear this positive response from the authorities.

“I am very happy to hear this, if not, these monkeys will end up in Chinese restaurants’, said Sanjeeva Jayawardena the President’s Counsel appearing for the animal rights organisations.

Sanjeeva Jayawardena PC, moved authorities to communicate this decision in written format, the  petition was accordingly fixed for July 7 by the Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and M.A.R. Marikkar.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera had recently publicly stated that the government is considering a request made by the Chinese government to export 100,000 Toque Macaque monkeys endemic to Sri Lanka to China for display in Chinese zoos.