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Chimp Smuggling

David Shukman exposes the illegal trade in baby chimpanzees, captured in Africa and exported as pets or to private zoos.

The 大象传媒 exposes the illegal trade in baby chimpanzees, captured in Africa and exported to the Gulf or Asia as pets or for private zoos. Capturing a baby chimp means killing the parents and often other adult chimpanzees. The trade is starting to threaten chimp populations in the wild. Although they can be kept as pets as babies, adult chimps can be dangerous and so they are often killed once they are fully grown.

Reporter David Shukman infiltrates a smuggling ring based in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast. For a cash payment he receives CITES certificates which would allow an unscrupulous buyer to get round the ban on the export of the animals. With the help of Interpol and the Ivorian police, David helps bust a smuggling ring centred on the infamous "blue room" where captured baby chimps are held. And he discovers the scale of this illegal trade which crosses several continents.

(Photo: A captured baby chimpanzee is freed during the police raid of an illegal wildlife smuggling ring)

Available now

27 minutes

Last on

Mon 6 Feb 2017 07:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 00:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 03:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 05:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 06:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 07:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 09:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 13:32GMT
  • Wed 1 Feb 2017 19:32GMT
  • Mon 6 Feb 2017 07:32GMT