Thai police have rescued forty seven macaques that were being smuggled out of the country for possible use in traditional Chinese drugs. The macaques had been discovered crammed into plastic cages on the again of a pickup truck in Isaan, affected by overcrowding and neglect.
The disturbing scene was uncovered by the Natural Resources and Environmental Crime Suppression Division and national park officers, who acted on an ongoing investigation into wildlife smuggling. The macaques were in small web bags and one was sick, reported Bangkok Post.
The two males answerable for transporting the macaques, 37 year outdated Kitsana Srimoros and 43 12 months old Kritsda Muensri, had been arrested and charged with illegal possession and trading of protected wildlife.
The men claimed they were unaware that the macaques had been protected and that they had been breaking the regulation. Kitsana claimed that he was paid 17,000 baht to pick up the cages from Khao Takhrong National Park and deliver them close to the Laos border in Nong Khai province. He mentioned the individual who hired him was a stranger.
Macaques are protected animals under the Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act, and their smuggling is a critical crime.
Peersasak Paksasuay, director of the pure useful resource conservation and safety, stated that national park officials have been working with police in Nakhon Ratchasima, Chaiyaphum and Buriram provinces to stop wildlife smuggling.
The macaques were destined for China, where they have been meant for use in traditional Chinese medication. It is a shocking reminder of the brutal and often illegal wildlife commerce, and the cruel treatment that many animals undergo at the hands of humans.
The unlawful promoting of macaques is widespread follow in Thailand. Last yr, a Thai woman was arrested in Hat Yai district, Songkhla province, for the protected animals through Facebook.
Undercover police pretended to be thinking about buying a macaque so they might arrest the girl. One macaque, a basket and a bottle of milk had been seized by police. The girl was shopping for macaques and reselling them for a higher price on-line, with no licence to possess wild animals.
Smooth , these macaques have been rescued and shall be taken to a wildlife centre in the Khon San district of Chaiyaphum. It’s a small victory in the fight towards wildlife trafficking, however it’s additionally a reminder that there’s nonetheless an extended method to go in protecting animals from human greed and exploitation..