'dying' Animals Halt Oz Zoo Deal

[jomama]

By Ewin Hannan and Peter Alford

17apr06

SYDNEY'S Taronga Zoo has threatened to scrap plans to send Australian native animals, including kangaroos and koalas, to a Thai safari park unless claims that more than 100 animals have died at the site can be disproved.

Such a decision could create diplomatic tension, with the safari park a hallmark for Thaksin Shinawatra's Government.

The park is in the home province and political base of the troubled Mr Thaksin, who has taken a permanent leave of absence from the prime ministerial position.

The zoo is run by one of the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry's most senior and controversial bureaucrats, Plodprasop Suraswadi.

Mr Plodprasop provoked outrage in November with a plan to mark the park's official opening with an "exotic buffet" for guests who would pay 4500 baht ($163) to enjoy a menu "ranging from dog meat to lion meat from Africa".

He quickly scrapped the idea, sources said, after sharp words from Mr Thaksin, "in order to avoid confusion and misunderstanding of the Chiang Mai night safari concept".

According to animal welfare groups, 104 animals have died at the safari park, including emus, dingos and wallabies.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare has written to Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell urging him to reject applications by Taronga and Melbourne zoos to send Australian animals to the park.

Melbourne zoo has had contact with the safari park but said the discussions were still at an early stage.

Erna Walraven, senior curator at Taronga, said the zoo would not be swayed.

"We are not in the business of succumbing to political pressure of any kind by sending animals where their welfare may be impacted," she said. "On animal welfare, we have to take the high moral ground and will always do so."

Ms Walraven said the zoo had halted the transfer until the Thai safari park adequately answered the allegations.

A decision by the Kenyan government to send animals to the controversial zoo rang alarm bells in 2005, with animal welfare advocates concerned it could set a precedent which other nations could follow.

Under the proposed transfer, Taronga plans to send three koalas, three agile wallabies, three red kangaroos, six ring-tailed possums, 15 feather-tailed gliders and two frog-mouthed birds to the safari park.

Ms Walraven said Taronga Zoo had asked Thai safari staff to provide a detailed written response to the allegations.

"They have made verbal assurances to other staff members of my organisation that the stories weren't correct. But they didn't say what was incorrect and they have given us the undertaking they would send a full report."

Mr Plodprasop first tangled with the international environment movement in 1999 when, as head of the Forestry Department, he allowed filming for the Leonardo DiCaprio film The Beach, which damaged Phi Phi island's fragile Maya beach.

[JXXXL]

looks like things keep getting worse for the NS and Mr. Knobstrap. I'll bet he thumbs his nose at the Aussie zoo and put the project deeper in the Sh1t.

Good thing this soon-to-be-failed project is out of sight, unlike all the many hirise skeletons around town. At least they can salvage the animals at some of the local restaurants.