News from Nigeria

January 2003

Shirley McGreal with Minister Imeh Okopido

Minister Imeh Okopido has confiscated two six year old gorillas from a Lebanese businessman living in Kano in Northern Nigeria. The businessman had acquired them illegally. Plans are under way to send the two female gorillas, whose names and Brighter and Twiggy, to Limbe Wildlife Center in Cameroon. IPPL greatly appreciates Dr. Okopido's courageous efforts to end the long-standing wildlife smuggling route through Nigeria.

Minister Okopido of Nigeria presented the statement below at a press conference held on 13 November 2002 at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), held in Santiago, Chile.

NIGERIA ACTS SWIFTLY TO END ILLEGAL TRADE IN ENDANGERED SPECIES AND REJECTS CLAIMS OF "IMMACULATE CONCEPTION" IN GORILLA SAGA

Press statement by His Excellency OTUEKONG (Dr) IMEH T. OKOPIDO, Honorable Minister of Environment (State), Leader of the Nigerian Delegation to CITES CoP 12.

Protocol:

1. The Nigerian Government has re-deployed CITES Enforcement Officers to Nigerian airports, seaports and border posts of the country in a renewed effort to stamp out illegal importation and exportation of endangered species.

This follows the January 2002 illegal export of four young Western Lowland Gorillas, flown from Lagos Airport, Nigeria, to Malaysia, via Johannesburg, on South African Airways.

At a full cabinet meeting, President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria agreed that the redeployed Ministry of Environment CITES Enforcement Officers should work in close collaboration with the Nigerian Police, Customs Service, Immigration Service and other regulatory agencies.

2. We took very seriously the gorilla smuggling incident, and the tarnishing of our country’s image internationally. Accordingly, all persons involved ­ whether government officials or private individuals ­ will be investigated by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission and if need be, Interpol will be invited to help track down the smuggling network.

3. Nigeria signed and ratified the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1976.

Background to the "Taiping Four" Case

4. On 10th December 2001, Prof M. O. Akusu of the University of Ibadan Veterinary Teaching Hospital issued a clean bill of health to "Alice" a 33 month old Lowland Gorilla of the genus Gorilla, species gorilla,sub-species gorilla from the University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens before its despatch to Taiping, Malaysia.

It is of interest at this point to state that the sub-species of gorilla found naturally in Nigeria is Gorilla gorilla diehli ­ the Cross River Gorilla.

Therefore, ab initio, the origin of the gorilla examined is not Nigeria, given that there are no breeding groups of gorillas in captivity in the whole of Africa.

The ONLY LIVING ADULT GORILLA at Ibadan Zoological Garden is an elderly female, and the only adult male is long dead, but still on display, stuffed, and is even featured on the Oyo State website.

Are we to believe that these allegedly captive bred infants were the result of "IMMACULATE CONCEPTION"? We reject this hypothesis outright!!

A more likely explanation was given by Ibadan Zoo keeper Olalekan Akanji; he told Glen McKenzie of Associated Press, that the four gorillas "came from the jungle in Cameroon." Another zoo keeper, Mr Friday Ndubisi Onwuka, interviewed by Mr McKenzie confirmed that the gorillas came from "the forest" and spent time in Ibadan before flying to Malaysia.

5. Gorillas are listed on Appendix 1 of CITES, which bans commercial trade. Documents and correspondence at my disposal clearly indicate that this unwholesome deal was an illegal commercial transaction and also that this was known to the directors of both zoos. The documents include:

• A letter from a Nigerian businessman, Mr Tunde Odukoya, dated 5th June 2000, to a zoo in Cameroon, copied to Dr Kevin Lazarus, Director of Taiping Zoo, and to Dr Akinboye, Director of University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens,Nigeria, seeking to procure six lowland gorillas (among other species).
• A price list from Odukuya & Associates, offering for sale (among other endangered species) "4 heads of baby gorillas" for $400,000 each ­ i.e. 1.6 million dollars.
• A statement to the press that Taiping Municipal Council, which manages Taiping Zoo, "bought the gorillas in good faith" by Datuk Ho Cheng Wang, Chairman of Taiping State Science, Environment, Health and Technology Committee ­ clearly admitting that it was a commercial transaction (reported in The Star, 7th November 2002).
• The CITES export permit for five gorillas, signed by Engineer D. B. Usman, who is not a member of the Nigerian CITES Management Authority and could not have been mandated to sign it in his then position because only my Management Authority and I have the authority to do so.
• An official introduction from the Malaysian Deputy High Comissioner in Lagos for Mr Suffian Suppiah Bin Abdullah to "acquire and transport five (5) heads of Western Gorilla babies from the University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens" to Taiping Zoo... It would be highly appreciated if the relevant authoritiesinNigeria could provide their assistance and cooperation..."

This collusion by high-ranking officials in both governments is unpatriotic, very damaging to the reputations of both countries and damaging to an endangered species that they are employed to protect.

It is important to realise that young gorillas are so sensitive to the stress of capture that even in experienced hands, 80 per cent of rescued orphans die. Thus to provide four living infants, at least 16 infants probably died.

And for each of these captured orphans, at least two members of their family will have been shot (the mother, the father, and any other group member who attempts to defend them) ­ thus at a conservative estimate, for four wild-caught infants to be in a zoo, 56 gorillas have died, and a total of 60 have been removed from the wild population.

6. When the legality of the shipment was questioned, the Malaysian authorities withdrew their permit for two more gorillas.

But I wish to ask - when representatives of Taiping Zoo visited Ibadan Zoo, as part of their so-called "routine zoo animal exchange programme" did they not ask how one elderly, lone, female gorilla produced four offspring between two and four years of age between the time period of the exchange programme? Did they not ask to see their parents? Or where these animals were born?

These, I think, are the basic questions to be asked before issuing a CITES permit.

With such a rare, endangered and high-profile species, to proceed without answers to these questions is tantamount to criminal neglect.

Minister Imeh Okopido

7. What Next for the Gorillas Involved?

The first priority is to analyse DNA samples from the four gorillas in Malaysia. Professor Michael Bruford of Cardiff University, UK, has offered to do the analysis, and compare results with his databank of gorilla DNA. This will determine the sub-species, and possibly even the area of origin of each infant. All he requires is a few hairs, with roots, from each gorilla (easily collected by sticking double-sided sticky tape where the animals brush past, and snipping the roots into a clean labelled envelope) or even a faecal sample would do.

Nigeria concurs with UNEP´s GrASP Technical Team and other conservationists who recommend that the procedure for confiscated great apes should be to send them to the nearest, government approved facility to their area of origin, but recommends that this decision should be based on science or irrefutable evidence.

It is my candid appeal that the four gorillas be returned to their country of origin in Africa. Sending them to a zoo in another country sends a message that wild-caught gorillas can still enter foreign zoos, and those zoos will benefit from their arrival.

The conservation education value of captive gorillas is most needed in their country of origin. Returning confiscated animals to their country of origin sends a message to potential buyers that they will lose money if they risk such illegal deals.

To prevent such illegal shipments in future, CITES Management Authorities MUST take steps to verify claims of captive bred Appendix 1 specimens, seeking advice when necessary from the wide pool of experience in the CITES Secretariat, UNEP Great Ape Survival Project and the NGO community.

8. APPEAL: I wish to appeal to the CITES Secretariat in Switzerland and any others concerned, to support Nigeria in capacity building, and to help finance the deployment of CITES Enforcement Officers to the border posts, air and sea ports of Nigeria. Nigeria has a large land mass with more than 870 kilometres of coastline.

9. Appreciation: First, I would like to express the appreciation of the Nigerian Government for all that the CITES Secretariat has done in investigating this case, particularly Mr John Sellar and Ms Marceil Yeater. Their support for the proposed DNA analysis is most welcome.

Secondly, I acknowledge the important role of Dr Shirley McGreal and the International Primate Protection League in exposing this nefarious scam.

I would also like to thank Ian Redmond, Head of the Technical Support Team of the UNEP/UNESCO Great Ape Survival Project for his assistance, and Professor Michael Bruford of Cardiff University for his kind offer to analyse the DNA.

The vibrant Nigerian Press, which helped to expose this scam, is appreciated too.

10. Thank you for your time and God Bless.

The Malaysian delegation to CITES issued a written statement at the press conference held on 13 November during the CITES conference in Santiago, Chile. The press conference was summoned by Nigerian's Minister of State for the Environment. Two Malaysians were also on the panel. A reporter asked the Malaysians on the panel whether it was true that the Taiping Zoo had paid $400,000 US per gorilla (the price on the Odukoya price-list displayed by the Nigerian Minister). The Malaysian gave a price in ringgit of around $25,000 per gorilla. This showed that money had changed hands and that the shipment was commercial - and hence in violation of CITES rules on Appendix I species. The CITES handbook (12.27) instructs governments to "ask for the Secretariat's advice before accepting the import of live specimens of Appendix I species declared as bred in captivity." This was not done in the case of the gorillas. Further, no "exchange" animals have apparently been shipped to Nigeria, over ten months after the gorillas reached Malaysia. One of the five gorillas on the import permit was not shipped and may have died as a keeper at Ibadan Zoo reported the deaths of many of the gorillas reaching Ibadan Zoo from Cameroon. Shirley McGreal

Malaysian comments

Import of Four Gorillas by Taiping Zoo

The Issues

1. Taiping Zoo imported four gorillas from University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens in January 2002 as part of an animal exchange programme between the two zoos.
2. However in April 2002, the Department of Wildlife and National Parks was bombarded with information regarding alleged illegal practices concerning the acquisition of the gorillas.
3. The allegation stated that since Nigeria has no captive-bred gorillas, it was suggested that the animals were captured from the wild and smuggled into Nigeria and exported to Malaysia.
4. CITES secretariat requested Malaysia to investigate the matter and report back the findings.

The Background

1. Taiping Zoo applied to the CITES authorities of Malaysia to import five gorillas for breeding and exhibition purposes.
2. The Malaysian CITES Management Authority being aware of the trade involving Appendix I has taken the necessary actions to comply to Article III of the Convention.
3. Besides that Malaysian authorities also considered the suitability of Taiping Zoo to keep the gorillas taking into account the zoo's experience in breeding other primates.
4. Based on the information provided by the University of Ibadan Zoological Gardens which confirm the gorillas were captive-bred animals, Malaysian CITES Management authority issued CITES import permit to enable Taiping Zoo to import the gorillas.
5. In order to execute the animal exchange Taiping Zoo appointed a forwarding agent, NigerCom Solutions Sdn. Bhd. to handle the exchange. The appointment of forwarders to handle animal exchange between Malaysian zoos and overseas zoos is the usual way animal exchange is done.
6. The Malaysian CITES Management Authority received a copy of the Nigerian export permit prior to the actual importation.
7. The permit was issued by the authorized CITES Management Authority of Nigeria and again indicated the gorillas were captive-bred from University of Ibadan. Malaysia accepted the permit in good faith and never doubted the authenticity of the document as it was issued by the appointed authority.
8. On 18 January 2002, four gorillas were imported into Malaysia and were transferred to Taiping Zoo.
9. Then only in April the CITES authorities of Malaysia started receiving information about the alleged malpractice regarding the exchange of the gorillas from NGO's and CITES secretariat.

THE ACTION TAKEN

1. Being aware of the sensitivity of the issues brought up by the secretariat and the NGO's, the CITES management authority carried out an investigation to address the issues.

2. The investigation showed that although the Nigerian CITES permit was valid, the information on the permit was false.

3. Taking into account of the result of the investigation and advise by the CITES secretariat, Malaysia took action to conform to CITES procedures as far as illegal trade in CITES-listed species is concerned.

4. The Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment being the authority to decide on matters relating to the fate of a totally protected species under the Protection of Wildlife Act 1972 agreed that the gorillas be sent to a facility which is capable to keep and breed the animals.