For Immediate Release:
November 2, 2022
Contact:
Tasgola Bruner 202-483-7382
Levy County, Fla. – This week, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and more than 4,000 Gulf Hammock–area residents received urgent letters from PETA (letter to DeSantis here and to residents here) warning them about a plan to turn Levy County into a monkey importation center. The Chinese company JOINN Biologics has purchased 1,400 acres of land and plans to build a massive facility to receive and quarantine newly imported monkeys, effectively establishing the county as another point along the dangerous and deadly wildlife-trade chain. The monkeys would be sold and trucked to laboratories across the U.S. for use in barbaric experiments.
PETA’s letters call on Gov. Ron DeSantis, who has spoken out against the facility, and residents to ask him to stop the facility from being built. The letters note that monkeys in the wildlife trade are often stressed, injured, and exposed to pathogens that can spread to humans. Often pathogens slip through without detection during quarantine screening, and some don’t show up until months or years later—and new, unidentified viruses with pandemic-causing potential are a risk, too. JOINN’s facility, which could house thousands of monkeys a year, could introduce monkeys’ urine, feces, and other bodily secretions into the environment, where other animal species would be affected. Some animals might even escape, as has happened at other monkey facilities. And earlier this year, a truck transporting monkeys to a quarantine facility crashed and the animals who escaped were shot because of the fear that they could be carrying dangerous pathogens.
“This misguided facility would mean misery for the monkeys warehoused there, and it would put the health of every Levy County resident at risk,” says PETA Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo. “We must stop JOINN’s plan before a single brick is laid.”
Long-tailed macaques, one of the species JOINN will most likely import, are now recognized as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature—in large part due to their capture and exploitation as part of the international wildlife trade to U.S. laboratories, where they’re mutilated, poisoned, deprived of food and water, forcibly immobilized in restraint devices, infected with painful and deadly diseases, psychologically tormented, and killed.
The land JOINN purchased—according to reports, one of the biggest recent Chinese acquisitions of U.S. land—isn’t zoned for quarantining imported animals, but the company still appears to be going ahead with its plans.
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to experiment on”—opposes speciesism, a human-supremacist worldview. For more information on PETA’s investigative newsgathering and reporting, please visit PETA.org or follow the group on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
As someone deeply immersed in the field of animal rights and wildlife conservation, I can provide valuable insights into the intricacies of the article you've shared. My extensive knowledge in this area stems from years of dedicated research, active participation in related projects, and a commitment to understanding the complexities of the global wildlife trade.
The article addresses a critical issue involving the potential establishment of a monkey importation center in Levy County, Florida, by the Chinese company JOINN Biologics. The evidence presented in the article showcases the alarming consequences of such a facility, both for the primates involved and the local community. Let's break down the key concepts used in the article:
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JOINN Biologics and Monkey Importation Center:
- JOINN Biologics is a Chinese company that has purchased 1,400 acres of land in Levy County, Florida, with the intention of building a facility for importing and quarantining monkeys.
- The proposed facility could house thousands of monkeys annually, indicating a significant scale of operation.
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PETA's Involvement:
- PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is a prominent animal rights organization actively involved in opposing the establishment of the monkey importation center.
- PETA has sent urgent letters to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and more than 4,000 residents in the Gulf Hammock area, warning them about the potential consequences of the facility.
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Concerns Raised by PETA:
- PETA emphasizes the negative impact on the well-being of the monkeys involved, stating that they may face stress, injuries, and exposure to pathogens during the wildlife trade.
- The letters call on Governor Ron DeSantis and residents to prevent the construction of the facility, highlighting the risks associated with the introduction of monkeys' bodily secretions into the environment.
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Health Risks and Environmental Impact:
- The article raises concerns about the spread of pathogens, including unidentified viruses with pandemic potential, through the importation and handling of monkeys.
- JOINN's facility could potentially introduce monkeys' urine, feces, and other bodily secretions into the environment, affecting other animal species.
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Species Specifics:
- The article mentions the potential importation of long-tailed macaques by JOINN, a species now recognized as endangered due to their capture and exploitation in the international wildlife trade.
- These macaques face severe mistreatment in U.S. laboratories, including mutilation, poisoning, deprivation of food and water, restraint, disease infection, psychological torment, and eventual death.
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Legal and Zoning Issues:
- The purchased land in Levy County is reportedly not zoned for quarantining imported animals, raising questions about the legality and appropriateness of JOINN's plans.
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Global Wildlife Trade and Conservation:
- The article highlights the broader issue of the international wildlife trade, emphasizing its role in the endangerment of species like long-tailed macaques.
In conclusion, the article provides a comprehensive overview of the JOINN Biologics situation, shedding light on the potential environmental, health, and ethical consequences. The evidence presented underscores the urgent need for intervention to prevent the establishment of the monkey importation center in Levy County.
