Illegal logging in the Fredberg protected area by the Foundation for Forest Management and Forest Supervision (SBB) continues. The Spider Monkey Reintroduction Project (SRPS) comes to this conclusion. The Fredberg area is, among other things, the habitat of the protected bird species the cock-of-the-rock. SRPS reports in a press release that illegal logging also runs right through the area, where exactly one year ago a group of five spider monkeys were released back into their natural habitat after years in captivity.

According to the SRPS, SBB does not act effectively. These volunteers have been working with these monkeys for almost two years to successfully prepare and guide them for reintroduction, with the help of donations from the Surinamese and Dutch supporters. Several of these monkeys had become completely independent in recent months and had made the area their so-called ‘home range’. They knew all the fruit trees where they could find their food.

Havoc
The perpetrators, who live on the road to the area, have caused havoc. At least 60 trees have been cut down and dragged to the road, including the monkeys’ food trees. One of the monkeys has fallen victim to this terrible situation and has been missing for weeks. As a result, the last monkey is now alone without conspecifics.

SRPS has immediately placed large prohibition signs with the permission of the concession holder Lumprex. Despite this, the illegal loggers continued. They have provocatively placed one of the tow roads a meter next to one of the huge signs.

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