A group of Japanese macaques that have been on display in Launceston, Tasmania since 1981 will be sterilised and left to naturally die out after a decision from the city council yesterday.
The council said that continued breeding from the monkeys would cause overcrowding in the population – which is already plagued by the herpes B virus and in-breeding.
The monkeys will instead be desexed, with the population expected to survive for another 20-25 years in Launceston’s City Park.
The original troop of ten monkeys were given to Launceston as a gift from the city of Ikeda in Japan in 1981.
In 2000, it was discovered that the troop of macaques had become infected with the herpes B virus.
The council also discovered that the monkeys had become inbred in the previous 19 years.
“Inbreeding appears not to have been controlled and the introduction of new genetics was unsuccessful, with one of two introduced male Japanese macaques dying soon after joining the troop, and the majority of the second introduced male’s offspring likely culled as part of a cohort euthanased soon after,” notes from the City of Launceston’s meeting describe.
“It is understood that many of the Japanese macaques in the exhibit today are closely related.”
Over the years, suggestions that the monkeys could be euthanised were met with outrage from the community.
Since it’s now impossible to import Japanese macaques under Australia’s biosecurity laws, the council cannot introduce any more monkeys to provide genetic diversity.
A vet will instead be hired by the council to desex the male monkeys, with the population left to die out from natural causes.
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“We know the Launceston community cares very much about the welfare of the City Park monkeys, and that’s a sentiment that’s also very much shared by both Councillors and staff here at the City of Launceston,” Launceston Mayor Matthew Garwood said.
“While we love having the monkeys here in Launceston, the inability to introduce new genetic stock and the serious impacts on their health and wellbeing means we need to begin to consider the future of the troop to ensure we’re doing what’s best for them over the longer term.
“There’s no doubt today’s decision was a difficult one, but it prioritises the welfare of the monkey troop so we can keep them as healthy and happy as possible, for as long as possible.
“It’s important to remember the City Park monkeys will still be with us for decades to come and we’ll continue to care for them to the highest possible standards.
“I’ll now be writing to the Mayor of our Sister City Ikeda, which gifted the macaques to us back in 1981, to formally advise of the Council’s decision and explain the reasoning behind it.”
