The Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) held in Bangkok late last year raised some serious questions on the large numbers of orang utans at zoos and safari parks. Of notable interest was Thailand's Safari World for its alleged smuggling of some 100 orang utans for kick-boxing shows and photo-prop by tourists.

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (SAM) would like to raise this question with our Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Department of Wildlife and National Parks and if they are aware that resorts and bird parks in Malaysia are also hosting similar orang utan acts.

The interesting question is how these orang utans were obtained, since both the Sumatran and Bornean species are listed in Appendix I of Cites. Being the most endangered, commercial international trade of these species is prohibited.

Trade may only be allowed under exceptional cases as in for scientific research. However, at both resorts and bird parks, these animals are commercially exploited for the entertainment of the masses.

Orang utans have better, nobler things to do than perform in stage acts. These acts are not entertaining nor educational and are only a spectacle that devalues both these animals and the hundreds of mindless humans who, by their patronage, demonstrate that they do not recognise depravity when they see it. It is a tradition that continues to survive because of human ignorance and indifference.

SAM would not like to see a repeat of another embarrassing episode like the gorillas issue . The ministry should seriously consider questioning the presence of these orang utans in Malaysia before more of these primates make their way into other resorts or animal establishments.

The writer is the president of Sahabat Alam Malaysia.