Since then the Maldividan authorities have been trying to find a home for the little primate and a way to transport this protected species, but no one in the international community was able or willing to help. Officers had been housing the nocturnal creature in a birdcage on Dhoonidhoo, also known as "prison island", for eight months, feeding it baby food and bananas, while they searched the globe for a suitable new home.
Dr Alison Cronin, Director of Monkey World, agreed to organise the paperwork, arrange the transport, and quarantine Kalo at the Dorset rescue centre. British Airways came to Kalo's assistance and flew him and Dr Cronin back to UK. Dr Cronin said "It was a priority to assist the Maldividan authorities who have done an excellent job in enforcing the international treaty that protects endangered species around the world and of course we wanted to save Kalo as he may have had to be put down if a suitable and legal home was not found for him".
Kalo has settled into his new Dorset home well. "He has muscle wastage from living in a small bird cage since he was stolen from the wild and his coat is dirty and sparse. His condition should improve dramatically in the coming weeks as he is climbing around his new home and eating loads of crickets and locusts" said Dr Cronin. Where Kalo was originally smuggled from remains a mystery as his former drug-smuggling owner refuses to give any information about the loris. He could have come from several different countries in Asia.
1 comment:
He will be living with another Loris called Doris.
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