United States: The Federal government of the United States has decided to consider the captive chimpanzees on par with the endangered species. The Federal authorities have announced their decision of the same on Friday, in a bid to curb inhumanity towards the Primates in the form of clinical lab trials and trade.
The threats against Chimpanzees has been increasing day by day since it has been listed as a endangered species by the US in 1990. US fish and wildlife service (USFWS), has estimated that about three to four lakhs of chimpanzees live across the twenty countries of Africa. Whereas, in the US approximately 2,000 chimpanzees were held captive. The number of Chimpanzees has begun decreasing, with the increase of poaching,pet trade and deforestation effects. Hence, the Federal government has moved to protect the primates.
Jane Goodall, a famous wild life activist said, ” It is good to hear that slowly people are realizing that it is not appropriate to subject our closest allies, probably our ancestors to this sort of stressful and harmful procedures”.
The new rule, which is rooted in the endangered species act is said to published on June 16 and will come into effect from September 14, 2015. The rule will ban the import or export of the Chimpanzees. The rule also bans the trade of the Chimpanzees with in the US, without the prior permission of the wild life authorities. Chimpanzees can still be used for the scientific experiments but it should be confined only to the development of it.
The new rules could favor the peaceful existence of the Chimpanzees only if the laws are enforced strictly by the federal government. Wild life activists all around the globe hailed the authorities over the decision to save the primates, the Time reports.
NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins said, ” Their similarities with that of the Humans is what making their lives miserable. It is not justifiable to harm a species which has the equal right to share this Earth like any other species.”
