Primate Research Centre to close

[alisonandarchie]

Great news , monkey World does some wonderful work

[MrsR]

Brilliant news 

20 years in solitary cages  just breaks my heart things like this

[Mark]

Great news Dawn 

They need to shut down the big American one now!

[Dawn (DiddyDawn)]

We have some amazing news to report to set 2008 off with a smile!   

 

Monkeys destined for experiments in South America have been flown to England 6 weeks after a huge IARD protest there.

Our friends at Chilean group Coalición por los Derechos Animales (CDA - http://www.nomasviviseccion.cl/) began a relentless campaign to close down the primate research centre at the Universidad Católica in Santiago, Chile, in April 2006.

For International Animal Rights Day in December 2006 and 2007 CDA held massive marches and protests through the centre of Santiago and finishing at the Universidad Católica. Just 6 weeks after the last IARD protest, news broke that the centre is to close!

The centre’s 88 capuchin monkeys were flown to Monkey World in Dorset, UK, by a Chilean Air Force plane, and arrived there on Tuesday 29th January 2008.


Dorset sanctuary completes world's biggest monkey rescue

www.guardian.co.uk/animalrights/story/0,,2249138,00.html

A Dorset monkey sanctuary yesterday saved 88 monkeys from confinement in small cages in a Chilean laboratory in the world's biggest rescue mission of its kind.

Monkey World took two days to fly the 88 capuchin monkeys - some of which were kept in solitary cages for up to 20 years - to its Wareham sanctuary.

The monkeys, aged between two and 30, were today enjoying their new freedom after spending years only being taken out for medical experiments and never seeing daylight.

"The first day we walked into the laboratory we were met with shrieks and screams," said Dr Alison Cronin, the director of Monkey World.

"They have been confined in small laboratory cages and they are coming to us with lots of psychological and potentially medical problems."

The animals will need to be rehabilitated before settling into social groups at the sanctuary's Capuchin Lodge.

Dr Cronin and her husband, Jim, who died from cancer last year, had been planning the rescue mission for over a year after being asked for help by the laboratory in Santiago.

Monkey World had already saved more than 50 monkeys and apes from five different laboratories.

The sanctuary initially intended to send the monkeys out in smaller groups but was forced to act quickly after staff at the lab received death threats from animal rights protesters.

The Chilean air force helped transport the animals in individual cages. They arrived last night at Bournemouth airport after receiving special permission from the UK government.

"This is the largest rescue Monkey World has ever undertaken in its history and the largest rescue of primates in the world ever," said Dr Cronin.

Capuchins can be found in the wild in Central and South America, where they live in groups of around 35. They have a life expectancy of more than 30 years.

Yours

Max Newton

·          Pictures of the monkeys arriving can be viewed on the Guardian website: www.guardian.co.uk/environment/gallery/2008/jan/30/wildlife.chile?picture=332310504