PHUKET: Police in Patong arrested two men last night and confiscated three southern lorises, being offered to tourists for photographs in and around the popular Soi Bangla walking street.
The round-eyed slow loris is reported to have an extremely high mortality rate in captivity and is on the list of endangered species.
Suchai Jalernphu, 30, and Natchapon Kensing, 20, were charged with possession of protected native animals.
While the two adults and a juvenile loris were exceedingly photogenic, horrified tourists are believed to have tipped off police to the presence of the nocturnal animals and their handlers in Soi Bangla.
The police stepped in and arrested the men about 8pm.
The lorises, native to Southeast Asia, were taken to the Gibbon Sanctuary in Bang Pae, eastern Phuket, where they will be checked to ensure they are healthy before release into the wild.
The round-eyed slow loris is reported to have an extremely high mortality rate in captivity and is on the list of endangered species.
Suchai Jalernphu, 30, and Natchapon Kensing, 20, were charged with possession of protected native animals.
While the two adults and a juvenile loris were exceedingly photogenic, horrified tourists are believed to have tipped off police to the presence of the nocturnal animals and their handlers in Soi Bangla.
The police stepped in and arrested the men about 8pm.
The lorises, native to Southeast Asia, were taken to the Gibbon Sanctuary in Bang Pae, eastern Phuket, where they will be checked to ensure they are healthy before release into the wild.
Police should take a visit to Phuket Naka weekend night market and they can find them for sale along with a number of other animals that are supposed to be protected.
Posted by chrisT on July 9, 2012 11:57