A few weeks ago, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and Ouwehands Zoo sat opposite each other in court. According to the ministry, supervisors from the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) discovered in 2021 that something was wrong with the papers of two hornbills in the zoo’s possession. The NVWA inspectors argued that Ouwehands could not prove that the two birds were born and bred in captivity. And therefore that the protected animals may have been obtained illegally. “Ouwehands Zoo has violated CITES rules (rules on international trade and transport of endangered plants and animals, ed.), namely unlawful takeover and unlawful possession of two red hornbills,” says a spokesperson for the ministry. The administrative judge agrees and ruled in the case today. If the zoo does not provide the correct paperwork, the minister may have the birds confiscated.
Ouwehands appeals against hornbill ruling: ‘This is really unacceptable’
