Launceston City Park's macaque monkey population to be sterilised, council decides
By Sandy Powell
Topic:Zoos
14m ago14 minutes agoThu 12 Dec 2024 at 4:55am
Loading...
In short:
Launceston city councillors have voted to sterilise the troop of macaque monkeys that have lived in City Park for 40 years.
The councillors voted in line with a recommendation from officers, which seeks to prevent inbreeding in the troop.
What's next?
Without further breeding, the remaining members of the troop are expected to die out over the next 25 years.
Launceston's City Park will be monkey-free in about 25 years' time.
City councillors have voted to sterilise the males in its captive macaque troop, which has called an enclosure in City Park home for more than four decades.
The council announced last week that it was putting the decision to a vote amid concerns about genetic diversity and the possibility of inbreeding in the troop.
A macaque monkey sits on a rock near running water in an enclosure.
The decision to sterilise the macaque monkeys was passed at a Launceston City Council meeting on Thursday afternoon. (ABC News: Morgan Timms)
Council primate keeper Bridie Slattery said preventing breeding entirely was in the best interests of the animals' welfare.
"We have failed to be able to introduce new genetics into the troop for genetic viability, and unfortunately, with this species we can no longer import new genetics into the country," she said.
Bridie speaking in a park in front of news outlet microphones.
Ms Slattery is in favour of sterilising the monkeys to prevent further inbreeding. (ABC News: Ashleigh Barraclough)
"We're not yet at the time where we'll see genetic deformities and things like that, they're still extremely healthy, which is why we want to do it now.
"We don't want to get to the point where they're not healthy."
Loading...
Posted14m ago14 minutes agoThu 12 Dec 2024 at 4:55am
Copy link
X (formerly Twitter)