Don’t Sterilize Monkeys Into Extinction

Target: Karen Grogan, Chair of Australian Senate Committee on Environment and Communications

Goal: Allow transport of macaque monkeys to enable continued survival of long-standing Tasmanian troop.

A beloved monkey troop that has been “adopted” by an Australian community received an unexpected expiration date from local officials. Monkeys have been a feature of Launceston’s City Park since the early 1980s and are a popular tourist attraction. Council members recently ruled that males within the 26-member troop would undergo sterilization. Without a means to reproduce, the troop will die out in the coming years.

The monkeys first arrived at their home as part of an animal swap with another region. They now call Launceston’s City Park home, where their numbers have grown from the 10 initial members of the troops. The council cites inbreeding fears and lack of genetic diversity as reasons for the sterilizations, but according to wildlife experts the solution may actually cause more problems. Prevention of the natural act of breeding may cause significant stress and strife within the troop, leading to aggressive behaviors amongst individual members.

Alternatives were quickly discarded because current laws do not permit the introduction of new monkeys into the habitat, which would have increased genetic diversity. Sign the petition below to urge a revisitation of these laws or a more feasible decision that preserves the longevity and wellness of animals who are victims of a human-created problem.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Senator Grogan,

The plight of the Launceston macaque monkeys is not driven by their own actions but rather by the consequences of ill-advised decisions made decades ago. Taking away natural behaviors of these animals via sterilization and forcing them into a slow-motion extinction is not a “humane” solution. The troop will endure hardships before it meets its mandated end.

These 26 monkeys could be liberated from their enclosed habitat and relocated, or new monkeys could be introduced into the existing habitat. Current laws, however, stand in the way of these potential solutions. Please reconsider the macaque’s status as a “suitable for live transportation” animal under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and help pave a better path forward for these cherished and iconic inhabitants.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Rocktendo and Adam Gman