--- F R E N D Z of martian --- ----- Forwarded message from David Helder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> ----- Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 12:20:30 -0500 (EST) From: David Helder <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "monkeywire" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: GeeK: [monkeywire] Monkeys the new weapon of Paris gangs ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 00:36:00 -0800 From: glen mccready <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Monkeys the new weapon of Paris gangs Resent-Date: Tue, 16 Jan 2001 00:36:04 -0800 (PST) Resent-From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Forwarded-by: William Knowles <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> http://www.guardianunlimited.co.uk/Archive/Article/0,4273,4068525,00.html Jon Henley in Paris Guardian Wednesday September 27, 2000 With pitbulls, dobermans and rottweilers under fire from the French authorities, youth gangs in the depressed city suburbs have discovered an alternative way to intimidate their rivals - with attack monkeys. "They're ultra-fashionable," said Didier Lecourbe, a police officer from the depressed Paris suburb of Aubervilliers. "There are dozens of them. Kids take them out on leads, and even carry baby monkeys around in nappies. But these animals can be very dangerous indeed." Imported illegally through Spain from Gibraltar, Morocco or Algeria, the Barbary apes are known for their powerful limbs, sharp teeth and short tempers. Veterinary experts say they can be turned into frightening and effective weapons. "They live naturally on rocks or in a desert environment," said Marie-Claude Bomsel of the natural history museum in Paris. "Removed from their natural habitat, they can become highly aggressive. They bite, and their favoured method of attack is to hurl themselves at people's heads." Police believe as many as 500 Barbary apes may have been smuggled into France in the past two years. Bought for about 30 each by youngsters visiting their families in north Africa, they change hands on the council estates around Paris for as much as 300. "Now the authorities have cracked down on pitbulls and the rest, apes look like becoming the new weapon of choice," said Mr Lecourbe. "We've heard of monkey-fights being run in tower block basements." Ms Bomsel said the museum had received dozens of telephone calls from owners wanting to know how to deal with violent monkeys, or how to get rid of them. "The zoos don't want to know because apes that have grown up outside their natural environment will not live with others," she said. A spokeswoman for the the society for the protection of animals said the society had taken in more than 40 apes in the past 18 months and its Paris animal homes were full. --- You are currently subscribed to monkeywire as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- End forwarded message ----- -- Martin Cosgrave AppDev Ltd. 0117 902 3143 / 07971 987 428 -- Sent to you via the frendz list at marsbard.com The archive is at http://www.mail-archive.com/frendz@marsbard.com/
