Representatives of the Gran Simio Project, a worldwide organisation that rescues and homes for many types of unwanted animals, especially primates, has denounced both the Guardamar council and a small private farm in the municipality for the condition of five Japanese macaques, that until a few days ago were being kept in a very small cage, full of excrement, and with possible sources of infection.
Given the refusal of the authorities to make any intervention, members of the Great Ape Project and Animalia Animal Protection, with the consent of the owners of the farm, transferred the macaques to another larger cage in the same farm, where at least they are better housed, but which is still insufficient for their stay in captivity.
There are currently moves afoot to relocate the animals to a rescue centre in Holland but to carry out the operation, the rescue centre is asking for 50,000 euros, which the Valencian Ministry of Agriculture has refused to pay for the relocation.
Project Great Ape and Animal Protection Animal, say that they are disgusted with the Authorities and cannot understand why they have not spoken with the rescue centre to reach an agreement and lower the price to effect the transfer.
They add that this situation in which the Japanese macaques have been, since February of this year, is extremely serious and it could easily be avoided if one of the Sanctuaries in Spain that deals with exotic species would take up their case. “At the moment,” they say, “they are on death row and their situation is the sole responsibility of the Consellería.”
