“Why? For what?”

The mission of John Aspinall Foundation, from England, is reproduced below:

“Our objectives are:

• To halt the extinction of rare and endangered species in the wild
• To continue to provide the most natural environment possible for the animals in both parks
• To re-introduce these animals back to their wild habitat where this is possible
• To continue to be world leaders in animal husbandry and breeding
• To be a partner and catalyst to conservation efforts at home and abroad
• Increasing public understanding of animals and their welfare and the issues involved in their conservation
• To manage wilderness areas
• To develop sustainable conservation-minded activities which provide economic benefits on a local and national scale.”

This foundation has just announced the transference of two young female gorillas (11 years old) to the Zoo of Belo Horizonte city, in Brazil. The intention is that they become partners of the only male gorilla that live, for years, alone in the zoo.

WHY DO THAT?
What are the benefits for nature and gorilla protection when family bonds are broken and two young gorillas are sent to a zoo on the other side of the world?

Is John Aspinall Foundation accomplishing its mission?
What is the purpose of sending individuals of a species threatened to extinction in the wild in the next 20 years to captivity in a zoo, whose only goal is to entertain humans?

FOR WHAT?
The foundation supports two projects in Africa: one in Gabon and one in Congo, in which are done reintroduction work in the wild. It also operates two parks around Kent, in England, which, according to them, are not zoos, but conservation centers. Why these two gorillas were not sent to Africa, in an attempt of reintroduction, or why weren’t them no kept in a sanctuary, with no public exhibition, a major enemy for the good mental health of great apes?

Those who fight for the survival of great apes, in a world idealistic struggle – so they can have their basic rights and won’t be exploited, nor be kept in zoos for human entertainment (we kept sanctuaries for that) – do not understand how John Aspinall Foundation, which develops a very important work in Africa, is now acting as a zoo supplier of beings who should never be exposed to a public.

John Aspinall Foundation is invited to explain this decision…