The Court of Appeal was today given an assurance by the Department of Wildlife and Conservation that they will not be taking steps to export toque macaque monkeys from Sri Lanka to China.
The assurance given by the Department of Wildlife and Conservation was informed to the Court of Appeal by the Attorney General when the petitions filed against the move were taken up for hearing today.
The case will be taken up before the Court of Appeal next on 6th July 2023 to record the undertaking given to the Court by the State.
Nearly 30 petitions were filed in response to a previous statement made by Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera claiming that there were plans being made to export toque macaque monkeys from Sri Lanka to China.
The petitioners were filed by several animal activists and environmentalists, including the Wildlife and Nature Protection Society of Sri Lanka, before the Court of Appeal seeking a Writ of Certiorari, quashing any decision to export toque macaque monkeys to China.
President’s Counsel Sanjeeva Jayawardena with counsels Prashanthi Mahindaratne, Dilumi De Alwis, Lakmini Warusevitane and Rukshan Senadira instructed by attorney-at- law Amila Kumar appeared for the Petitioners. (NewsWire)
