According to the Jane Goodall Institute Spain, in our country there are more than 140 great apes in captivity in zoos and rescue centers, hominids that live in a lack of legal protection that the Spanish government is trying to resolve.
These animals live in captivity “product of confiscations from individuals or illegal trafficking, voluntary deliveries, old legal imports, exchanges between zoos or reproduction in captivity in the latter”, explains the institute.
Bill
Her protection is currently in progress through the development of Great Apes Billa standard that would be pioneering in the world and that has been promoted throughout the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030.
Until 1997, science classified great apes by anatomical comparison, distinguishing between Hylobatines (gibbons), Pongidae (chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans) and hominid (homo sapiens).
However, scientific developments have shown that genetic It is more effective than simply comparing physical traits to establish relationships between great apes.
Equation with humans
Thus, following the tenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, It was decided to eliminate the Pongid family and its members. (the great apes), and includes them in the hominid family, alongside humans and their extinct ancestors.
That’s to say, humans were likened to great apessince this decision, accepted by the entire scientific community, is of great importance to put these beings on the same level as our ancestors, the homo erectus, able man, australopithecusetc.
Attributes of monkeys
On the other hand, science has also shown that great apes are not only sentient beings, but They have cognitive abilities such as learningcommunication or complex reasoning that brings them closer to that of human beings.
Moreover, at a higher level than other mammals, great apes appear to have self-awareness and intentionality in decision-making, to the point that they sharefifteen attributes that in his time the bioethicist Joseph Fletcher established to define human personality.
These attributes classified by Fletcher range from minimal intelligencethrough other characteristics such as self-awareness, self-control, sense of the future and the past, ability to interact with other peers, concern and care for other individuals, balance between reason and feelingsidiosyncrasy and neocortical activity.
sentient beings
The current legal framework that regulates animals has finally recognized, with the reform of the Civil Code, that animals are sentient beingsthereby incorporating the principle established in Article 13 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which requires States to respect the welfare requirements of animals as “sentient beings”.
Thus, the ministry concludes, “both because of their condition as sentient beings and due to its genetic proximity to our species and its high degree of evolutionSpecial protection is needed for this group of large primates.
Based on these arguments, on July 31, the public consultation so that associations and citizens can provide their proposals for the development of this preliminary draft for the Great Apes Acta process that will continue to take time, but which for the associations represents a big step.
fill a void
But, Why is this standard being promoted? For the ministry, this law fills a gap, since “there are no non-regulatory alternatives to resolve the problems raised.”
The standard sets out the following objectives in relation to great apes, such as establishing the express prohibition of experimentation or research when it can cause them harm and does not benefit them.
It also sets the objective of establishing “very strict conditionsalways in optimal environments for their development, for their possession or custody, in any case for conservation purposes.
In addition, he wants to ban the use of great apes.”for commercial purposes or in any type of performance that undermines their dignity.
No clear rules
According to the Mona FoundationThis legislation will solve several problems, since in Spain “There are no clear rules to protect great apes“There is no specific law that specifies how we should care for and protect great apes.”
In addition, the entity highlights other issues such as “The rules for keeping great apes in captivity are not adequateThey are neither sufficient nor up to date and there is a lack of legal tools to respect international promises.
Ending Captivity
The Jane Goodall Institute Spain has made public its 16 proposals available on its website, such as the end of captive breeding programs in Spain, “due to the impossibility of reintroducing these individuals into their natural habitats since these programs, under the pretext of maintaining a gene pool, generally chronicle captive conditions for generations simply to maintain a stock of animals to offer to visitors.
It also proposes ending the long-term captivity of great apes,except those that are eventually confiscated and recovered from illegal trafficking or possession by individuals and taken to appropriate rehabilitation centers, and which cannot be reintroduced into their natural habitat.
Independent experts
The institute advocates the creation of “a committee of independent experts responsible for define and monitor animal welfare indices mandatory compliance by any zoo or rescue center with great apes in Spain.
Let us recall that the Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) is a global non-profit organization, founded in 1977 by the famous ethologist, Dr. Goodall, whose mission is: “Understanding and protecting chimpanzees and other great apes (both in the wild and in captivity) and their habitats, and to inspire and empower people to make the world a better place for animals and humans, in a healthy environment.
