The Department of Wildlife has given an undertaking to the Court of Appeal that steps will not be taken to export Toque Macaque monkeys from Sri Lanka to China.
The undertaking was given when a petition filed by environmental organisations against the alleged proposal to export 100,000 Toque Macaque monkeys to China was taken up before the court today (June 26).
The petition had been filed by a total of 27 parties, including the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, Otara Gunawardena, Ven. Ananda Sagara Thero and Rukshan Jayawardena, claiming that reports have revealed that the monkeys are being exported to China for lab-testing purposes.
Citing that such a move would constitute an act of animal cruelty while also defying the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance, the petitioners therefore sought an order preventing the exportation of the monkeys, while also seeking an order against the Director General of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, preventing him from issuing licenses for such exports.