Monkey causes uproar in Pakistan court as smugglers face justice

Two men were fined 100,000 rupees each for chasing lucrative illegal trade and shipping 14 baby apes in mango crate

One of the rescued newborn monkeys plays inside an enclosure at a zoo in Karachi, Pakistan. EPA

A baby monkey disrupted a Pakistani court hearing after escaping from a troop presented as evidence in a case of wildlife smuggling, officials said.

Two men were detained outside Karachi on Thursday while trying to smuggle 14 baby monkeys in crates typically used to carry mangos.

When they were brought to court on Friday, one of the monkeys escaped and caused uproar as staff tried to tempt it down from a tree.

"The monkeys were kept in the boxes in a bad condition... they could hardly breathe," said Javed Mahar, chief of Sindh Wildlife Department.

The trade or keeping of wild animals is illegal in Pakistan, but laws are routinely ignored and there is a strong market in exotic pets.

Monkeys are frequently kept by street entertainers to attract customers, and in some cases have been trained by criminals to enter houses to steal.

The smugglers were each fined 100,000 rupees (about $350) on Friday and the court ordered the monkeys to be given to Karachi Zoo – a step that was criticised by wildlife officials.

"The monkeys should have been returned to their natural habitat from where they were captured," Mr Mahar said.

Pakistan's zoos are notorious for their poor facilities, and campaigners accuse them of disregarding animal welfare.

In 2020, a court ordered the only zoo in the country's capital to close because of its decrepit state.