During a press conference held on Monday, Linley Moothien from 4 Tilapat, Mansa Daby from Stop Monkey Massacre, Ivor Tan Yan from Linion Moris (LM), and activist Chamroo Reda called on the population to participate in a march organized by 4 Tilapat on Saturday, April 20 at 1 pm to protest against acts of cruelty to animals, particularly monkeys.
The march will start at Place Cathédrale in Port Louis and proceed to Place d’Armes.
Linley Moothien emphasized that he also invites opposition political parties who present themselves as the future leaders of the country, as well as the government.
“In the fight against animal cruelty, there is no political color. We are simply people who care about animal respect and protection.
My door and arms are open to all political parties who care about animal welfare.”
Mansa Daby from Stop Monkey Massacre explained that this march concerns the entire population.
“The trade of monkeys has been happening in Mauritius for 40 years. While in the past, their export had positive aspects in trade and medicine.
But with the halt of exports to China due to Covid-19, Mauritius started exporting double, or even triple, the amount of monkeys.
In 2019, Mauritius exported around 4,000 monkeys and around 14,000 monkeys in 2020. The population has witnessed many illegal captures in the wild.
Monkeys captured in the wild and sent to laboratories can pose a risk as they may carry diseases that could trigger new pandemics.”
Activist Chamroo Reda added, “Despite the claims of Mauritian authorities that they are following rules for capturing macaques, this is not the case.
We need a prior investigation to know the number of monkeys in Mauritius and decide whether or not it is appropriate to export them.” But for Chamroo, exportation must stop.
How to handle encounters with monkeys: According to Mansa Daby from Stop Monkey Massacre, there have been numerous recent cases where monkeys have been spotted near homes.
“Two weeks ago, we received information that farms would release monkeys into the wild or near homes to divert the public’s attention from our fight.”
However, they can be seen everywhere, from Baie-du-Tombeau to Coromandel. What do you do if monkeys invade your home? Firstly, it is not recommended to feed them by hand as they may grab you.
Also, avoid giving them processed foods. While some enjoy the monkeys visiting their homes, others prefer to avoid them as they can sometimes be aggressive.
For those who do not want monkeys around, using firecrackers can be effective in deterring them initially.
If that does not work, it is recommended to contact the relevant authorities such as the Animal Welfare Unit.
“They are supposed to take measures to capture the monkeys and release them into the wild, like at Gorges, a sanctuary.
However, based on my research, the authorities often refer cases back to the same farms that export the monkeys.”
If you prefer not to contact the authorities for capture, you can reach out to Stop Monkey Massacre, who will take necessary action.
Source: l’Express
