Endangered animals are abducted from zoos in Armenia. Few know where they go.
In the Armenian zoo Jambo Park, there lived a rare chimpanzee that both children and adults came to visit. Suddenly, it disappeared. Not escaped, but abducted. Endangered species are traded for more than 17 billion Dollars every year, which makes it the fourth biggest illegal business worldwide, after drugs, human trafficking and fraud. The black market’s price for a rare monkey can be up to 150 000 Dollars.
The animals disappear – and reappear at restaurants as attractions to get more customers, as pets for rich Armenians or in wealthy Russians’ private collections. Even though Armenia, among many other countries, has signed the treaty which regulates the trade of endangered animals, this does not stop the import and export.
If you want to hear more about Armenia’s black animal market, you are more than welcome to Litteraturhuset on the 12th of December, where the Armenian investigative journalist Kristine Aghalaryan will tell more about illegal trade of animals across the borders.
Sign up here.