NEWS
ACRES IN THE NEWS
____________________________________________________________________
Borneo Bulletin
12 October 2006
Rescue centre for animals in wildlife trade
A mother orangutan and her baby. A Singapore animal rights group Wednesday announced plans to set up a rescue centre for animals caught in illegal wildlife trade. "These animals are typically subjected to being held in inappropriate conditions". AFP
SINGAPORE (AFP) - A Singapore animal rights group Wednesday announced plans to set up the city-state's first rescue centre for animals caught in Asia 's illegal wildlife trade.
The Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) said the two-hectare (4.94 acres) shelter is expected to house at least 400 animals including marsupials, primates and reptiles. "We will try to make every effort to repatriate the animals back to where they came from because ultimately they don't belong in Singapore ," said Louis Ng, executive director of Acres.
"All the animals that are housed will probably be non-native to Singapore and we want them to go back to where they came from," he told a media conference.
Ng said the centre, to be located in the north-west of the city-state, will require S$737,000 in initial funding. Acres has raised S$30,000 and Ng said the group plans fund-raising events next month to generate additional cash and to increase awareness of the illegal wildlife trade in Singapore .
According to Acres, authorities seized more than 4,000 animals from traders and private homes in the last five years. The creatures were traded to be kept as pets. "These animals are typically subjected to severe stress from the point of capture, to the inhumane transport conditions, to being held in inappropriate conditions," said Amy Corrigan, director of zoology at Acres.
.........................................................................................................................................................