156 macaques from a zoological park in the Landes were slaughtered this Friday. They were infected with a virus that was very dangerous for humans.
On Sunday May 21, the SPA (Society for the Protection of Animals) “strongly condemned the massive euthanasia” of some 150 Java macaques from the Pinède des Singes animal park in Labenne (Landes). In a press release, the SPA declares itself “outraged by this act carried out without the knowledge of animal protection associations”. She also asks that “solutions be found for the two fleeing monkeys”, which would have, according to the newspaper South West, escaped the slaughterings carried out by the veterinary services of the department, Friday, May 19.
According to the association, “scientific opinions concerning the health status of these animals are far from unanimous and it appears essential and urgent that a committee be set up bringing together all health and animal protection professionals. to decide on the sustainable fate of these animals ”.
A deadly virus for humans
The animal park, put into compulsory liquidation in April 2016, had seen its activity suspended by prefectural decree in January of the same year. The authorities had indeed observed on several occasions “serious dysfunctions”, in particular repeated escapes of animals, uncontrolled reproduction which had increased the number of macaques from 60 to 165 in a few years, but especially fragmented prophylactic measures, the prefecture specified in a press release.
Judicial liquidation was used to take samples and clarify the health status of macaques. However, according to these analyzes, most of the monkeys were contaminated with the “herpes virus B (MaHV1)” virus, highly pathogenic in the case of human contamination, and the cause of encephalomyelitis, fatal in 80% of cases in ‘absence of treatment, and in 20% in case of antiviral medication. Even in the event of survival, the neurological and cognitive sequelae are severe and disabling, the prefecture further underlined, on the basis of the conclusions of ANSES. The health agency’s group of experts had assessed the probability of transmission between 8 and 9, on a scale of 0 to 9.
Euthanasia of monkeys was implemented “in strict compliance with the rules in force”, according to the prefecture. At the end of the operation, the secure evacuation and treatment of animal by-products, to eliminate any viral risk, had been immediately provided by the rendering service, under the control of the State.
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