DNA Analysis Proves Rugs Made from Threatened Monkeys

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario, December 8, 2006 – Toronto company Ethiopian Spices and one of its co-owners, Abdurahman Abdullahi Ibrahim, were fined a total of $2,250 today in the Ontario Court of Justice, Provincial Division. The accused were found guilty on November 28, 2006 on charges of illegally importing rugs from Ethiopia made from monkey skins.
An investigation conducted by Environment Canada's Wildlife Enforcement Division established that the accused unlawfully imported seven rugs in October 2004 made from skins of the black-and-white Colobus monkey. These rugs were declared on Customs documents as plastic rugs and the accused later testified that he believed the rugs to be made from goat skins.

The black-and-white Colobus monkey is a threatened species listed under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). It is protected under Canada's Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA) and its regulations. The accused did not obtain the Ethiopian CITES export permit required to legally import the monkey skin rugs into Canada.

The species identification made by investigating officers was confirmed through physical examination at the Royal Ontario Museum and through DNA extraction at Trent University.

Mr. Ibrahim, 35, of Toronto, and Ethiopian Spices, located in Kensington Market in Toronto, were jointly charged under WAPPRIITA. Ethiopian Spices was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000 plus a mandatory victim surcharge of $125. Mr. Ibrahim was assessed identical penalties. The illegally imported rugs were forfeited to the Crown.

In the ruling, the Court noted that the accused did not exercise adequate due diligence to legally import these rugs. It stated that, as a professional businessman who travels to Ethiopia to purchase items for his store, he has a greater responsibility than a tourist to determine the requirements to import such rugs, to declare them properly to the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and to verify the species involved.

It noted that it was insufficient to rely on the word of the vendor that the rugs were made from goat and to rely on the shipper to make a declaration to CBSA, which in this case was false.

The black-and-white Colobus monkey is apparently abundant in Ethiopia. Even though the trade in rugs made from this species is illegal in Ethiopia, these types of rugs, which are used by Ethiopians as decorations and good luck symbols and for religious ceremonies, continue to be sold in Ethiopian markets. The rugs in this case were made from close to 100 monkey skins and have an estimated commercial value of between $16,000 and $18,000.

Environment Canada is the lead agency responsible for implementing CITES on behalf of the federal government. CITES sets controls on the international trade and movement of animal and plant species that have been, or may be, threatened due to excessive commercial exploitation. WAPPRIITA is the legislative vehicle by which Canada meets its obligations under CITES.
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