Animal rights advocates Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) and Action for Primates have been urging the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to disapprove permits seeking to capture wild long-tailed macaques in Romblon for research and export amid the population’s growth in the area.
This after DENR would reportedly consider applications for permits to capture the primates for breeding farms.
“One of the reasons given by the DENR for considering an application for the capture of the wild monkeys is conflict arising between people and the monkeys,” the groups were quoted in a joint statement.
“Conflict issues, however, are usually due to human activities, such as the destruction and fragmentation of the natural habitat, forcing primates to compete with people over land and resources,” they added.
DENR director of the Mimaropa region Henry Adornado confirmed that there is a boom in macaques population in Romblon. However the DENR had yet to estimate their total population.
Adarnado added that with their growing number, the monkeys pose a threat to banana and coconut plantation.
On the other hand, animal rights activist and representative of Action for Primates Nedim Buyukmihci said there were humane approaches to population control.
“At a time when there is increasing awareness of the devastating consequences that human activity is having on the natural world, including nonhuman primates, it is imperative that we learn to coexist with other species rather than just eliminate them when conflicts arise,” said Buyukmihci.
PAWS executive director Anna Cabrera said there should be a protected area for macaques.
“We can set things right by taking immediate steps to establish a protected area for macaques and to develop eco-friendly systems within human communities to allow them to live in harmony with wildlife,” she said.
Meanwhile, Biodiversity Management Bureau director Ricardo Calderon said his office had yet to receive any applications for the capture and breeding of the monkeys in Romblon.
“Any application for permit will have to undergo site assessment and evaluation as part of the due diligence being required under existing rules and regulation,” Calderon noted.
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