Wild At Life Project

Gateway to Hell Campaign (G2H)

The Monkey Farms

Activity status: Accomplished

Area of Activity: Lele (Nepal)

Tagged: monkey farms # vivisection

Vivisection, the practice of experimenting on live animals for scientific research, is a controversial and often cruel practice that raises ethical and moral concerns.

There are several reasons why we fight against vivisection.

Firstly, animals should not be subjected to pain, suffering, and death for human benefit, especially when alternative methods exist.
Secondly, there are concerns about the validity of animal-based research as it may not always translate to human biology, leading to inaccurate and sometimes dangerous conclusions.
Thirdly, the practice of vivisection is often done in secrecy, which raises questions about transparency and accountability.
Finally, vivisection perpetuates speciesism and reinforces the idea that humans have the right to exploit and dominate other animals.

By opposing vivisection and promoting alternative methods of research, such as computer models and in vitro testing, we can promote a more ethical and effective approach to scientific research that prioritizes both human health and animal welfare.

Gateway to Hell (G2H) was set up in 2006 by a number of animal activists including Asli Han Gedik, founder of Wild at Life e.V. (pictured below).

G2H’s goal was to end vivisection around the globe and for that to come to fruition, they had to get to the root of the problem – preventing the primates from boarding a flight bound for the United States (U.S.), where they will be sent to vivisection laboratories.

The U.S. law forbids the import of wild-caught monkeys due to the risk of transmissible viruses. However, some companies have found a loophole – which is to export the offspring of wild-caught monkeys.

The campaign ran for three years, during which monkeys continued to suffer while being cramped in tiny cages. In order to gain widespread attention, efforts were made nationally in Germany as well as internationally, through weekly demonstrations and a petition prepared by Asli herself. This petition, signed by roughly 5,000 people from countries around the world, was delivered to the Nepalese government calling to abolish the export of monkeys to vivisection laboratories.

As time passed, there was no progress.

This led to G2H bringing the case to the Supreme Court in Nepal, with the defence that capturing monkeys from the wild is against Nepalese law, and an American company should not be exempted from this regulation. Therefore, with the lawyer fees covered by Asli, G2H filed a public interest lawsuit in January 2009.

Below is the petition that Asli herself started. It garnered over 5,000 signatures from countries around the world.

Below is the petition that Asli herself started. It garnered over 5,000 signatures from countries around the world.

Update: September 6, 2009

G2H Campaign Victory

In August 2009, then-Forest Minister, Mr. Deepak Bohara, ordered the permanent closing of the Lele facility in Nepal and all 300 monkeys are to be rehabilitated and released into the wild! This comes after consultation with the department heads of the ministry, that exporting these primates is illegal.

Whilst it was a tiring and arduous three years, it should not be forgotten that these efforts were made to save Nepal’s almost 300 monkeys who will now run free where they belong, as well as for their offspring who will be born into their natural environment.

The campaign to save Nepal’s monkeys was an opportunity to strike a blow against the global primate research industry. G2H has secured airlines to sign bans on transporting primates for the purpose of vivisection. Although G2H does not have a website, the fight for the global primate industry continues. We will continue to monitor the situation in Nepal with Air Mauritius closely, and if needed, the G2H campaign will return.

G2H was always about taking on the primate supply chain at its weakest points, and in our view, they are currently in our own countries, so we hope to see more pressure against the primate abusers on a local level.

The full magnitude of this achievement has yet to be realized…but on behalf of the nearly 300 monkeys who are about to experience life in their natural environment, and on behalf of their offspring who will never know captivity, we offer you our heartfelt gratitude and thanks.

You can read the financial and progress report (in English) here:

This project is carried out in the following activity areas

Animal Welfare & Rescue

Farm, stray, & laboratory animals rescue & welfare

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