Agriculture Ministry claims zoos in EU countries also want monkeys from SL

Several zoos located in European Union (EU) countries too have approached Sri Lanka with requests to obtain Toque Macaque monkeys as part of their exhibits, a senior Agriculture Ministry official claimed. 

The official said these requests along with the request by a Chinese company that operates private zoos in China to obtain 100, 000 Toque Macaque monkeys from Sri Lanka are currently being studied. 

Animal rights activists have criticised the proposal to export the monkeys. 

Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera meanwhile, has challenged animal rights activists to come up with alternative proposals to resolve the issue of crop damage suffered by farmers owing to the activities of Toque Macaque monkeys. The minister said he is even willing to find a land and supply the monkeys at state expense if animal rights activists are prepared to take care of them. 

Mr Amaraweera has highlighted the damage that the monkeys, who many farmers view as pests, cause to their crops and has defended the proposal to export the monkeys as a way to lessen the damages to farmers' crops. 

He insisted that neither he nor anyone else in the government had any ulterior motive in exploring the possibility of exporting the monkeys.