A letter from Zoocheck Canada to Japan's zoo

April 22, 2004

Mr. Kenichi Kitamura
Director of Maruyama Zoo
Sapporo City, Japan

Dear Mr. Kitamura:

Zoocheck Canada is an animal welfare organization established in 1984 that is focussed on issues regarding the trade and keeping of wildlife in captivity. While we are located in Canada, we have been involved in numerous international initiatives.

In July of 2003, Zoocheck Canada wrote to you in opposition to the proposed transfer of Japanese macaques to the Kyoto Primate Research Institute. We understand that since that time, your zoo has contacted other zoos in an attempt to place the monkeys but has been unsuccessful.

We have recently been informed that your zoo is once again hoping to transfer Japanese macaques to the Kyoto Primate Research Institute as a population control measure. While we understand how difficult it is to place Japanese macaques in other zoo facilities, we nevertheless urge you once again to abandon any plans to transfer monkeys to a research facility. We believe such a move would contravene the spirit of modern zoo practice to promote empathy for animals and their conservation and would certainly not be in the best interests of the monkeys.

Our own inquiries have also suggested that if your monkeys did go to the Kyoto Primate Research Institute, they or their offspring may be incorporated into the National BioResource Project as experimental subjects for brain research. We further understand that this research may involve brain implants and other kinds of invasive procedures.

Regardless of how the Kyoto Primate Research Institute might use the monkeys, we firmly believe any transfer to the institute would be unethical and regressive. Under no circumstances should surplus zoo animals be passed on to research laboratories.

I urge you to find another solution to your monkey problem. Please cancel any plans to transfer the monkeys to the institute. I look forward to a reply indicating that the monkeys will be dealt with in a more acceptable, humane manner.

Sincerely,

Rob Laidlaw
CBiol MIBiol
Director

cc. Mayor, Sapporo City

Zoocheck Canada (www.zoocheck.com)