• Claims opportunity to export toque macaques to Chinese, European zoos thwarted and stage set for monkeys to be killed by farmers 
• Rights groups criticise ‘exporting’ being touted as a solution to such conflicts 

Claiming that several animal rights organisations have presented impractical and absurd proposals when asked about the measures to be taken to prevent crop damages caused by animals, the Minister of Agriculture, Mahinda Amaraweera said that such organisations had disrupted the opportunity to provide toque macaques (‘rilawa’ - a reddish brown coloured Old World monkey endemic to Sri Lanka) to zoos in China and several European countries.

It was recently reported that the relevant authorities including the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC) and the Ministry of Agriculture were discussing the provision of 100,000 toque macaques to China, considering a request made by a Chinese company to the same effect. Several animal rights organisations and animal rights activists had then challenged the reported preparations to capture and export toque macaques by way of a writ application filed before the Court of Appeal.

Speaking to the media on the matter, Amaraweera said: "Certain animal rights organisations have initiated legal action against this programme. We should note that the Ministry does not have the authority to export animals. That is why we appointed a committee to study the possibility of providing toque macaques following a request being made by a Chinese company. It was after that that these organisations initiated legal action, but the relevant company is still standing by their request for these animals."

He also said that zoos in several European countries had also requested for toque macaques in addition to China. "Some parties claimed that these animals are taken for meat. They spread various lies and eventually disrupted the programme that would have been the best to prevent crop damages caused by animals. If this programme was implemented, the toque macaques would have had the opportunity to live in zoos with kindness and love. When they are here, they are being killed by farmers. We wanted to prevent them from being killed. The organisations that disrupted this programme should now be asked about solutions to crop damages."

When the relevant parties including animal rights organisations were requested to submit their proposals to reduce crop damages caused by animals, Amaraweera said that they had submitted impractical and absurd proposals. "Certain groups said that every farmer should set aside half an acre of cultivated land for wild animals, but we don’t know if the farmers will like it. Even if half an acre is allocated, do animals know what their land is, and that they shouldn’t consume crops in other parts? Some others said that hanging saris around the cultivated land will solve the issue, but how many saris will a farmer have to buy to do this? It was also suggested to perform surgeries to sterilise animals, but they don’t know that animals subjected to such surgeries die in extreme suffering due to sutures being damaged," he explained.

When the media queried him about the measures that will be taken to resolve the issue, he said: "Those in Colombo 7 don’t know the hardships that the farmers are going through due to these animals. So, don't ask us about resolving this issue. You all should ask those in air conditioned rooms in Colombo 7 who disrupted this programme for the US dollars that their organisations receive."

When questioned about the allegations levelled by Amaraweera, the Biodiversity Conservation and Research Circle Convenor Supun Lahiru Prakash said that if the Minister's view is that the only solution for the Government to mitigate animal-human conflicts is to export animals, it is merely a joke. "Let's suppose that one animal is allowed to be exported, in that case, the Government will next export elephants to reduce the elephant-human conflict. Exporting all animals that interfere with human life is not the best solution. In dealing with such issues, the relevant institutions cannot work alone. They must work together and make appropriate decisions based on scientific data. If they don’t do so, and blame the groups that advocate for preventing harm to animals, what is the purpose of their existence?" He also said that whether any animal is killed, transferred to zoos or consumed for meat is not a matter of significant concern, but that the most important concern is the removal of animals from the ecosystems that they are used to. "Any animal lives comfortably in its familiar environment. If such an animal is taken out of that environment and placed in a place where there is food and all other facilities, it is of no use. Animals may even die because they don’t adjust to those places."

The Ministry recently stated that the toque macaque population of the country is close to three million at present. A survey conducted by the Hector Kobbekaduwa Agricultural Training and Research Institute had confirmed that the highest intensity or severity of crop damages had been reported due to toque macaques. According to surveys conducted in 250 agricultural development areas, toque macaques had reportedly caused complete damage to crops in 110 areas, severe damages in 235 areas and partial damages in 155 areas.  

The toque macaque is listed as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature due to habitat destruction and hunting, and also for the pet trade. Much of the original forested habitat of the toque macaque has been lost, between 1956 and 1993. Plantations and deforestation have been the main drivers of habitat loss.