Chimpanzees from Le Cirque kept at GAP Project Sanctuary

16/08/2008: Federal Regional Tribunal (TRF, in Portuguese) from Brasília ω DF suspended, on the early evening yesterday, the resolution that had been signed by the 9th Federal Bureau from DF in favour of the circus Le Cirque. The resolution suspended the decision of closing the circus and defined the return of the two chimpanzees and one hippopotamus seized on Tuesday, 12/08/2008, after an operation by IBAMA.

TRF analysed documents released by IBAMA after the inspection operation that resulted on the confiscation of the animals and also a report by GAP Project. Both documents showed unsafe instalation conditions and evidence of mistreating against the animals.

Besides, the Judge from the 3th Criminal Departament from Brasília, Dr. Waldir da Paz Almeida, has decided, base on similar documents, that the chimpanzees confiscated should be kept at the Ecological Sanctuary on Sorocaba, affiliated to GAP Project. He has concluded that the circus was commiting ennvironmental crime, according to the Federal Law 9605/98 (Environmental Crimes Law).

As a result, it has been officially defined that the two chimpanzees confiscated are going to live on the sanctuary, where they were taken after the request from IBAMA.