More countries request Toque monkeys from Sri Lanka – Amaraweera

Several countries other than China have requested Sri Lanka to provide Toque macaque monkeys for their zoos, Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera said.

He told Parliament that the Sri Lanka government had informed them to make the request through the relevant embassies of those countries.

Responding to a question raised by Samagi Jana Balawega (SJB) MP Niroshan Perera, the minister said that animal rights organisations and activists have filed a petition challenging the export of monkeys, so the requests for the export of monkeys are put on hold.

He said crops worth more than Rs. 20 billion are lost annually due to animals such as monkeys, wild boars and peacocks.

The Minister said he discussed with animal rights organisations, who are against the export of monkeys, about their proposals to prevent crop damage but none of them had come up with any practical solutions.