10/15/09 Demand for Official Supervision of the Circus Safari
Ministry of Culture
Directorate for Nature Protection Inspection
Savska cesta 41/23
10000 Zagreb
October 15, 2009
SUBJECT: DEMAND FOR OFFICIAL SUPERVISION
Animal Friends asks the above mentioned according to Article 173 of the Nature Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 70/05) to undertake urgent official supervision of the decision of the Nature Protection Directorate which contradicts to Article 3 paragraph (26) and Article 53 paragraph (1) of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 135/06) and indirectly approved temporary admission of the foreign wild species (protected by the Act) into the Republic of Croatia with the purpose of exhibition in public, to legal person ZG-TRAG d.o.o., Zagreb, Ozaljska 148, who acts in the name of Circus Safari and who by itself is not registered for the services of a zoological garden which contradicts to Article 4 paragraph (4) of the Act for ratifying Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – CITES (International Gazette No. 12/99). Their exhibition in public also contradicts to Article 105 paragraph (1) and (2) of the Nature Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 70/05 and 139/08).
EXPLANATION
The legal person mentioned above acts in the name of Circus Safari, temporarily located on the east parking lot of the Zagreb Fair, KEEPS wild animals which is prohibited by Article 53 paragraph (1) of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 135/06) and exhibits them to the public which contradicts to Article 3 paragraph (26) of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 135/06).
In addition, among the wild animals in the possession of Circus Safari is the species LAMA GUANICOE, which is on the CITES list, included in Appendix II. (Appendices I, II and III; Page 3), which means this case comes under animals protected by the Law, Article 105 paragraph (1) of the Nature Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 70/05 and No. 139/08) for which admission are conditions required from Article 4 paragraph (4) of the Act for ratifying Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – CITES (International Gazette No. 12/99) to be fulfilled. To exhibit them in public there are also conditions from Article 105 paragraph (2) of Nature Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 70/05 and 139/08) required to be fulfilled, which requires an animal exhibition in an environment which imitate natural conditions of their habitat, which do not distort knowledge about biology of the species; and also fulfilling the condition that an exhibitor is not a circus, because it is excluded according to paragraph (26) of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 135/06).
Due to all above mentioned reasons, we ASK the authorities of above mentioned:
- Concerning ADMISSION of the mentioned protected species to urgently proceed according to Article 4 paragraph (4) of the Act for ratifying Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – CITES (International Gazette No. 12/99); and from the importer demand all required documentation before issuing a certificate for admission
- Concerning the EXHIBITION of the (protected) wild animals IN PUBLIC, that according to Article 105 paragraph (1) and (2) of the Nature Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 70/05 and 139/08) ban exhibition of protected wild animals because of not fulfilling conditions regulated by the law, especially for violating Article 3 paragraph (26) of the Animal Protection Act (Official Gazette No. 135/06).
We would appreciate your written notification on the taken measures and activities, as well as their results.
Best regards,
Martina Jurisa (PhD)
Animal Friends
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