The Prey Lang Wildlife Sanctuary’s community patrollers in Stung Treng province say they found signs indicating continued monkey-hunting during a trip into the protected forest last week.
Monkey exporter Vanny Bio-Research said it would “stand firm by its business model” and denied a U.S. court indictment that it was shipping thousands of endangered wild macaques overseas.
Workers at the Vanny Bio Research farm speak of X-rays to check newly arriving monkeys for airgun pellets and packing animals into crates for flights. It’s grueling work for under $200 a month to supply overseas laboratories with animals, they say.
Residents near the hills of Pursat’s Veal Veng district acknowledge there’s plenty of wild monkey hunting in the area, but the animals are getting harder to find. Prices have shot up in recent years, especially for monkeys caught while they are small, they say.
The Agriculture Ministry backed two of its employees who have been charged with smuggling long-tailed macaques — and one of whom was arrested in the U.S. on Wednesday — and said it would make the “utmost efforts” to absolve them.
Emails and bank transfer details collected by U.S. investigators allege the Forestry Administration director used ministry staff to capture thousands of wild monkeys for illegal export — and that they waited until after the 2018 election to avoid scrutiny — while also requesting a large donation to the ruling CPP.
An Agriculture Ministry official was arrested in New York — and the Forestry Administration’s director is also wanted — for a U.S. felony indictment over smuggling long-tailed macaques.
The Forestry Administration issued a statement justifying rampant razing of Phnom Tamao forest, claiming the forest was inconvenient and a new zoo will be built in exchange.
Unidentified criminals have cut down and stolen four prized rosewood trees from a Siem Reap conservation area, officials say.
The potential scope of the destruction of the forest, home to a wildlife rescue center and endangered animals, was not previously disclosed.
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