NEWS RELEASE BUAV CALLS FOR AN END TO MONKEY SLAUGHTER ON MAURITIUS

The BUAV is calling for an end to plans for the slaughter of thousands
of monkeys by Noveprim, one of the main primate dealers on Mauritius and
a company which is 47% owned by Covance UK, an animal testing facility
in the UK. The mass slaughter was revealed following a tip-off received
by the BUAV and reported in the UK Sunday Express Newspaper:

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/271963/Horror-of-monkey-cull-on-tropical
-island


The BUAV was informed that the slaughter, which would take place monthly
until 2012, was due to a company down size.

BUAV's Chief Executive, Michelle Thew stated:

"The BUAV is appalled to learn of this monkey slaughter. It is totally
unacceptable that monkeys who have been exploited for years are now
simply discarded because they are of no further use to the company. We
call on the Prime Minister of Mauritius to stop this senseless slaughter
and instead allow these monkeys to be released into the wild so that
they can live out the rest of their lives freely. We urge the people of
Mauritius to speak out against this terrible cruelty."

Mauritius is the world's second largest exporter of long-tailed macaques
for the research industry, exporting up to 10,000 animals each year. In
September 2010, the BUAV released the findings of its investigation into
the monkey trade on Mauritius which contained shocking evidence of the
cruelty and suffering involved in the trapping and breeding of wild
monkeys for the international research industry, in particular the UK,
USA and Europe. In 2009 Noveprim reportedly supplied 60% of the total
number of primates imported by the European Union.

To find out more about the BUAV investigation on Mauritius:

http://www.buav.org/our-campaigns/primate-campaign/buav-primate-trade-invest
igations/trading-in-cruelty

Please support the BUAV campaign by contacting the Mauritius High
Commission/Embassy in your country to protest these killings:

http://www.maurinet.com/tourist_information/mauritian_embassies_foreign_coun
tries

In the UK write to:
Mauritius High Commission
londonmhc@btinternet.com

Also, send an email to the Mauritius Prime Minister at

http://www.buav.org/take-action#media-item-id-7