Indonesia: Gunung Kidul plans to export monkeys

Antara 12 Jul 11;

Gunung Kidul, Yogyakarta (ANTARA News) - Gunung Kidul district in Yogyakarta province, Central Java, plans to export long-tail monkeys (Macaca fascularis) to prevent their habitat in the region from becoming overpopulated.

The head of the district`s forestry and plantation service, Anik Indarwati, said in Wonosari here on Tuesday the district`s Natural Resource Conservation Agency (BKSDA) and administration had raised the issue of exporting the animals among others to China.

"The long tail monkey can be used in laboratory research and for experimental purposes," she said.

She said the BKSDA and the district administration still had difficulty exporting the animal because it had to be done through quarantines.

"The export destination country requires that the animal be quarantined first before being able to be used for research purposes and so the plan has not yet been implemented," she said.

Anik said the animal is not a rare animal and protected unlike orangutan of Sumatra.

She said the district administration had been overwhelmed by the fast increasing population of the animal and therefore had sought alternatives to solve the problem.

"The animal is not dangerous for men but damages agricultural plants," she said.

She said the Gunung Kidul district administration has taken efforts to reduce the population of the animal but its number was difficult to control.

"The animal is spreading in Tepus, Panggang, Purwosari, Paliyan, Semin, Girisubo, Ponjong and Wonosari sub-districts," she said.

She said the animal emerges during the dry season as water and food supply in their habitat drops and damages agricultural plants.

BKSDA veterinarian Yuni Tirtasari meanwhile said that the animal could produce polio vaccine.

"So far Biofarma Indonesia has been using the animal for research and test purposes," she said.
(Uu.H-YH/HAJM/S012)

Editor: Priyambodo RH