Latest Craze? Orangutan Kickboxing

[matcom]

:grr:

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AN international animal rights group has urged Thailand to ban kickboxing fights between endangered orang-utans, held daily at a Bangkok wildlife park.

The orang-utans, wearing boxing gloves and shorts, are put in a ring and encouraged to fight their opponents using fists, knees, elbows and feet.

The operators of Safari World animal park say the fights - which start with the Rocky movie theme and include bikini-clad chimpanzees carrying bout number cards - are choreographed and no animal is harmed.

But animal rights groups said the apes were being exploited for profits and were destined for a short and miserable existence after their days in the ring were over.

"It's outrageous. There's no question of it being justifiable in any sort of way," Cyril Rosen, of the International Primate Protection League, said.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10289300%255E13762,00.html