The Gambia Environmental Alliance writes to staunchly condemns the government’s endorsement of the acquisition of Monkey park as contained in an official communique of the Ministry of Justice on Wednesday, 26th October 2022. 

The Bijilo Forest Park or Monkey Park, after years of exploration by the government, has reached its highest peak since it was established and gazette as a wildlife park in 1951. 

The area has been the secured habitat for the Western Red Colobus monkey, which is internationally considered an endangered species. In the year 2017, a portion of the park was used for the construction of the Conference Center, which destroyed a major natural habitat for the monkeys 
and other wild animals in the area. 

This act of the government is ridiculously inconsistent with the Biodiversity and Wildlife Act, which was enacted in 2003. 

The government is supposed to be the primary protector of our natural resources but not the in-contrary. This move to partition any portion of the land at monkey park is a direct affront to our strive towards the protection of our remaining natural resources and putting the lives of our endangered species under serious threat. 
 
The ramifications are beyond just the protection of the fauna and flora. The Gambia Environmental Alliance registers its unreserved condemnation of any acquisition or retention of any portion of the natural areas of the Monkey Park by unconventional means and demands for the protection of the remaining fauna.