Meet Igor, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons
Baby chimpanzees smuggled from Africa have been arriving in Turkey. International smugglers have set their sights on Turkey, despite the country being a member of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).
This new smuggling "connection" was uncovered by Jim and Alison Cronin. Acting on a tip-off, Jim and Alison went to Turkey four times to investigate the reported presence of chimpanzees on markets and at coastal beach resorts. In just one day traders in the markets of Istanbul offered them five chimpanzees.
One especially pathetic chimpanzee was cowering in his cage. Jim and Alison called him "Charlie." A 9 month old baby named "Lucky" was found in an attic at the Istanbul Animal Emporium.
Although the Cronins located 15 baby chimpanzees, only two were confiscated as word spread once government "raids" on the dealers began. The confiscated animals were named Garip and Romeo.
Jim and Alison have called on the Turkish Government to confiscate all the smuggled chimpanzees and have offered them all a permanent home at Monkey World Sanctuary. It is also important to identify the source of the chimpanzees which is suspected to be Nigeria. The Cronins suspect that the chimpanzees reach Europe by ship. Alison comments:
In order to capture the babies, the poachers slaughter their mothers and other dominant chimpanzees. Usually they are crammed into wooden crates and brought to Europe by ships. For every baby chimp that gets here, at least 10 others die.
On Sunday, 23 August 1998, Alison and Jim contacted IPPL. They were in Turkey and urgently needed our help to contact Mrs. Imren Aykut, Turkey's Minister of the Environment, requesting that the government confiscate smuggled chimpanzees and send them to a good home, preferably Monkey World.
Action was urgently needed - Alison and Jim could not stay much longer in Turkey. A letter had to be on the Minister's desk by Monday morning.
IPPL Chairwoman Shirley McGreal dropped everything else and immediately faxed off a letter to the Minister, commenting:
We have been distressed at the species-destructive and cruel activities of wildlife smugglers. Among the species which suffer most from smuggling are the great apes, including chimpanzees. The way to bring a baby chimpanzee into captivity is to shoot the mother.
The chimpanzee is, as you know, highly endangered.
IPPL has learned that smugglers have been taking chimpanzees into Turkey in recent months.
We just learned that you have confiscated several young chimpanzees and that some more are known to be at currently unknown locations in Turkey.
On behalf of IPPL, I would like to thank your government for its role in these confiscations and encourage you to continue to confiscate animals and, if Turkish law allows, punish the smugglers and their clients severely for the harm they are causing to our natural world...
Mr. Jim Cronin of Monkey World, England, informs me he has offered a home for these animals...we hope that these animals can be transferred to Monkey World for the specialized care they need.
Unfortunately, Garip and Romeo are still in Turkey. The Turkish government claims they are "evidence" in court cases which much be concluded before the animals can leave Turkey. The cases are likely to be long and drawn out.
Living animals are not inanimate, like most evidence in criminal cases, and it would make more sense to make a video of the animals, rather than prolong their suffering and risk possible death by holding them captive.
As Jim commented:
Chimpanzees don't understand bureaucracy. They just die.
It is good that two chimpanzees have already been confiscated. However, more chimpanzees remain in dealer and private hands. The Government of Turkey must be praised for its efforts so far - but also be encouraged to pursue an aggressive confiscation and placement policy.
HOW YOU CAN HELP END "THE TURKISH CONNECTION"
Please send a friendly letter to Mrs. Imren Aykut, Turkey's Minister of the Environment. Thank her for confiscating the chimpanzees Romeo and Garip and request that they be sent as soon as possible to Monkey World in England for rehabilitation.
Request that an effort be made to locate other chimpanzees that have been smuggled into Turkey and that any smugglers, including foreigners, caught bringing chimpanzees or other endangered wildlife into Turkey be sent to prison. Request that a law be passed to make it illegal to sell endangered wildlife or to keep any wildlife in cruel conditions.
Mrs. Imren Aykut, Minister of the Environment
Government of Turkey
Eskisehir Yolu 8. Km. 06530
Ankara, Turkey
Please contact the Ambassador of Turkey to your country. Addresses:
His Excellency the Ambassador of Turkey
1714 Massachusetts Ave, NW
Washington, DC 20036, USA
His Excellency the Ambassador of Turkey
43 Belgrave Square
London SW1X 8PA, England
Postage from the US to Turkey is 60 cents per half ounce, $1 per
ounce. From England, the cost is 30 pence for letters under 20 grams, 44
pence for 40 grams.
Meet Igor, one of IPPL's
Sanctuary Gibbons