Jakarta moves to ban street monkey shows

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta government is set to ban street shows involving monkeys and plans to relocate monkeys used in such shows to the Ragunan zoo in South Jakarta, said Governor Joko Widodo here on Monday.



"Starting this week, we will conduct raids in the city," the governor stated. The government plans to buy the monkeys from their owners and hand them over to the zoo for better care, he added.



The decision has been made after people expressed concerns that such shows not only cause traffic jams but also involve exploitation of monkeys for money.



"The show hurts monkeys. Not to mention the risk that the monkeys may not be healthy and may have the potential to contract rabies," he added.



Such street shows are a source of income for poor people in the cities, particularly Jakarta. The shows usually have monkeys wearing funny masks and performing acrobatic moves. The shows are usually performed door-to-door.



Reported by Azis Kurmala



Translated and Edited by Amie Fenia Arimbi



EDITED BY INE



(A051/KR-BSR/A014)

