Monkey causes uproar in Karachi court hearing smuggling case

KARACHI: A baby monkey disrupted a court hearing in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi after escaping from a troop presented as evidence in a case of wildlife smuggling, media reports cited officials as saying on Saturday.

Two men were detained outside Karachi on Thursday while trying to smuggle 14 baby monkeys in crates typically used to carry mangos.

When they were brought to court on Friday, one of the monkeys escaped and caused uproar as staff tried to tempt it down from a tree.

“The monkeys were kept in the boxes in a bad condition… they could hardly breathe,” said Javed Mahar, chief of Sindh Wildlife Department.

The trade or keeping of wild animals is illegal in Pakistan, but laws are routinely ignored and there is a strong market in exotic pets.

Monkeys are frequently kept by street entertainers to attract customers, and in some cases have been trained by criminals to enter houses to steal.

The smugglers were each fined 100,000 rupees (about $350) on Friday and the court ordered the monkeys to be given to Karachi Zoo – a step that was criticized by wildlife officials.

“The monkeys should have been returned to their natural habitat from where they were captured,” Mr Mahar said.

Pakistan’s zoos are notorious for their poor facilities, and campaigners accuse them of disregarding animal welfare. In 2020, a court ordered the only zoo in the country’s capital to close because of its decrepit state. – News Agencies