Brazilian Federal Tribunal decided, in a trial promoted early this month, that Brazilian Environment and Renewable Resources Institute (Ibama, in Portuguese) has the duty to make inspections in the treatment of exotic animals used in circus at Paraná state (south of Brazil).

After receiving information that a lot of animals were being mistreated in circuses of the state, local Public Ministry opened a proceeding together with Brazilian Federal Justice requesting that Ibama is responsible for inspection, registering, apprehension and repatriating of exotic animals in case of irregular conditions. Ibama argued lack of financial resources and work force and also pointed that it can not be considered mistreating if the animals are well fed and cleaned, not to mention the argument that the function of the institute would be take care only of native animals.

Ibama’s feedback led Public Ministry to appeal to the Federal Tribunal affirming that there is no difference between exotic circus animals and native animals and that Ibama should have the duty of attending all species equally. For the Ministry, inadequate treatment, that do not respect the basic needs of the species, should be consider mistreating.

One example could be seen in the declaration of a witness, who told that a chimpanzee was being used in a death globe as an attraction. Therefore, to verify nourishment and cleaning conditions of the cage would not be enough to analyze the animals’ exploitation condition, who are exposed to different types of violence.