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Monkeys
from the wild into Japanese laboratories
Oita
City's Takasaki nature park is on of Japan's
natural heritage sites, and a visit to the
resident wild Japanese monkeys is a major
source of enjoyment for tourists. However,
we have learnt that the very same park has
recently captured hundreds of monkeys without
permission, and passed them on to research
laboratories.
The
wild Japanese monkey is a primate indigenous
to Japan and listed in the red data book
of the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources) as close
to extinction. In Japan however, it is
considered a pest harmful to crops, hunted
without restriction, and killed or sent
to research laboratories.
In
the background are the researchers, seeing
the monkey as a resource which because
of its harmfulness can be procured in virtually
limitless numbers, and do not think twice
about using them in an experiment.
Having
scoured a success in fighting the bad habit
of selling cats and dogs to experimentors,
we are now facing this new problem. We
strongly oppose the practice of handing
over monkeys as pests to research laboratories
for the following reasons:
- Wild
animals must not be used in experiments
Animals
in the wild belong to the community.
Even when they are sometimes "eradicated", the animals must not be left to experimentors and related persons, for the
benefit of few. Also, since origin,
medical history, and age of wild animals
are unknown, individual differences
make results of medical experiments
useless.
- Species
close to extinction may not be used
in experiments
The
Japanese monkey is listed in the international
edition of the Red Data Book as close
to extinction. Although it appears
that in certain regions of Japan numbers
are recovering through breeding, their
existence in Japan as a whole is under
threat due to habitat loss and fragmentation.
Once a route has been opened for such
a rare animal to be used in experiments,
demand will take precedence over protection.
- The
same protection for primates as for
humans
Primates
including the Japanese monkey are the
closest relatives of the human species,
and feel psychological stress and physical
pain much like us. Hence experiments
on primates are equal to experiments
on humans. Performing such experiments
in the backroom, unchecked and allowing
no discussion of the wider theoretical
implications, is in contravention of
societal norms.
- Towards
legal regulation of animal experiments
Japan
is alone among developed nations not
to control animal experiments by law,
permitting researchers to perform in
secret any cruel experiment whatsoever.
The laboratory is transformed into
a secret chamber where things happen
well hidden from public scrutiny, and
from where no information ever emerges.
Performing experiments on primates
under these conditions is reminiscent
of the practices of the notorious Unit
731 or the Nazis, deeply shocking and
repugnant.
Please,
send a letter or fax to
Mr. Keinosuke Kinosita, Mayor of Oita City
2-31 Niagemachi, Oita City 870-8504, Japan
Fax +81 97 537 5656
Mr. Morihiko Hiramatsu, Governor of Oita Prefecture
3-1-1 Otemachi, Oita City 870-0022, Japan
Fax +81 97 532 5650
wound was found on his left thigh. The staff anesthetized
him. After treating his wound, they found him dead in
the cage next day.
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