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There’s Some Monkey Business Going On Here
negative aspects of monkey export. In just over a month, with the support of IPPL and other
animal welfare organizations, over 600 signatures were collected through on online petition.
On February 13, 2004, a meeting was arranged with Dr Mohan Prasad Wagle, Chief Planning
officer, Ministry of Forestry and Soil Conservation. After a two-hour wait, the team received
permission to enter the Ministry in the presence of a TV camera and an actor holding a puppet
monkey.
After yet another two hour wait the team realized no government official was willing to
receive the signatures. The campaigner cut their losses and left the signatures behind
with a peon.
By now the campaign was coordinated by Animal Nepal, a non-profit company involved in
animal welfare campaigning. A brochure was developed, both in Nepali and English, and
distributed among students and residents of Langtang National Park (where some of the seed
monkeys would be captured). A stall with background information was placed at different
festivals, including a vaccination camp for pets during Kukur Tihar and a number of music
concerts. Animal Nepal published an album called Rock and Bark, which included the lead
song with music video Aau mili gau, a moving tribute to the suffering of animals in Nepal,
including monkeys. No less than fifteen well-known signers volunteered while recording the
song.
The campaign inspired many people to write letters to the concerned Ministry. Madhav
Parajuli, a staff at DNPWC, said that each month his Department received thirty to forty
letters from different wildlife related organizations or individuals.
In 2006, Wildlife Watch Group (WWG), a critical watchdog focusing on conservation and
wildlife issues, joined the team. Soon a coalition was formed, including IPPL, PETA India,
SPCAN, Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre (KAT), Roots and Shoots and Wildlife Action
Group.
In February 2007, the committed students from Roots and Shoots Nepal, a ‘branch’ of the
Jane Goodall Institute, provided a new boost to the campaign. The students organized a
demonstration on February 10, calling for an end to the breeding of primates for research
purposes.
Over a hundred students and animal welfare campaigners attended the demonstration. By
now no less than 4,000 signatures have been received by the coalition, arguing to stop the
breeding and export of Nepalese monkeys - see page 31 for selected comments from this
group and a list of signatures from around the world.
In September 2007 the Stop Monkey Business Campaign coalition moved into an office at the
new premises of Wildlife Watch Group in Kupondole, Lalitpur District. At present the coalition
focuses on developing further campaign materials including a website, radio jingle and
documentary, as well as conducting a survey of rhesus monkeys in Nepal. Legal action will be
taken to challenge the government’s role in the issue.
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