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Your letters: Sending orangutans to North Korea
Free as it is: A wild orangutan is found in Taman Buru forest, Linge Isaq, Central Aceh, on March 28
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span class="inline inline-center">Free as it is: A wild orangutan is found in Taman Buru forest, Linge Isaq, Central Aceh, on March 28. The Tropical Forest Conservation Action group, in cooperation with the government, is drafting a management plan for Taman Buru forest for education, research and conservation. Antara/Regina Safri
Who in their right mind would give away Indonesia's orangutans to North Korea? Think of North Korea and what images and thoughts come to mind?
Temperatures in winter in North Korea are not unlike those experienced in Siberia. Hardly a place for tropical orangutans, is it?
Keep all those images and thoughts firmly in your mind and then try to imagine what possesses Jakarta Governor Basuki 'Ahok' Tjahaja Purnama to think it is a good idea to send precious, highly endangered orangutans to North Korea. Would you?
And don't forget: orangutans are not the property of the governor to give away as he pleases, heaven forbid. They are a national treasure belonging to the people of Indonesia.
If the orangutans were to be sent to North Korea, they would most likely form part of a private zoo for the country's leader: 'trophy' animals to show off to his friends. The people of North Korea would never be able to afford to visit a zoo.
There is also the not small or unimportant matter of Indonesia needing to prove to CITES this Appendix 1 species will be going to a good home. If that ever happens we should all raise very serious questions because, as is patently obvious to anyone with a brain and the best interests of orangutans at heart, no CITES official would ever approve the export, would they?
Furthermore, demonstrating his total ignorance about orangutans, the governor suggests that the two orangutans he, and no one else, wants to give away to North Korea, should breed while there and their offspring should be allowed to inbreed thereafter. It's a crazy suggestion.
The governor is in serious need of guidance from one of Indonesia's many orangutan experts. After which, let's all hope he changes his mind and puts the welfare of the orangutans first and foremost.
Sean Whyte
London
