Consul-General may regret helping animal trader

Teresa Fischer

It has emerged that Sir Nicholas Rose, optometrist and Honorary Consul-General of the Republic of Albania, lent R1,2-million to controversial animal trader, Dr Pablo Caligiuri-Urban, shortly before Caligiuri-Urban vanished.
Caligiuri-Urban, of the Animal and Reptile Park Zoo in Muldersdrift, was reported missing in February and there is a warrant for his arrest. He faces two charges of assault. (Review, week ending March 7, March 14 and April 11)
The money was secured by means of a bond over the zoo's assets and the facility is therefore not allowed to sell anything without Rose's written approval.
Animals, including five endangered ocelots and three spider monkeys with a price tag of R145 000, have since had to be sold.

Consul-General didn't know

While Rose maintained that animals sold would ‘all go to top facilities approved by Nature Conservation’, he admitted five lions were sold without correct permits. Rose attributed this to Stella, Caligiuri-Urban's wife, having 'slipped up on the paperwork'.
Sizwe Matshikiza of the Gauteng Provincial Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment stated an investigation had been instituted. "We are unable to comment at this stage."
Stella refused to disclose to whom the lions were sold. "I have no comment at all," she declared.
Rose claimed not to have known about the sale of the lions, saying he found out by coincidence. "I was on my way to work, when I noticed a large truck carrying several big cages. I decided to follow it. It then drove into the zoo where I discovered lions were being moved."

Canned lion hunting

Concerns persist the lions were destined for the canned hunting industry. According to Janet Schofield of the Wildlife Action Group, lions were moved on June 8, 2005, in a truck registered to DH Fletcher Trust Farm, also known as Sandhurst Safaris, a hunting lodge. This happened a day after two lions were reportedly seen loose in the area.
Sandhurst Safaris owners refused to comment, referring queries to the Department of Nature Conservation.
According to the Mail and Guardian, Elizabeth MacGregor of the World Society for the Protection of Animals said Caligiuri-Urban signed an agreement with Ibama, an environmental agency in Brazil - from where he imported the 10 circus lions for the animals to be used for 'reproduction in a conservation programme'.

Fraud allegations

Schofield has been investigating the Caligiuri-Urbans for over three years and claimed the couple misled the public by falsely representing themselves, Schofield laid a charge of fraud against the Caligiuri-Urbans in June 2006, for alleged violations of the Companies Act.
She said, "The Registrar of Companies made it clear that the Caligiuri-Urbans could not hold positions as directors of any companies in South Africa because of their sequestration in 2002."
A legal advisor at CIPRO warned Pablo that should he continue to act as a director, it would be an offence and he would be responsible for debts the company incurred.
Pablo is still registered as one of two directors of the Monkey and Primate Breeding Centre, a non-profit organisation, which trades as the Animal and Reptile Park Zoo. Stella is registered as the sole director of International Animal Exchange.

Educational centre planned

Rose explained he heard of the zoo having difficulty in finding alternative premises following an eviction order. This led to the idea of a Wildlife Educational Learning and Conservation Centre on a portion of his 600-acre farm near Hartbeespoort. "I am an animal lover and was trying to do the right thing," said Rose.
Philosophical about the money, he added, "I also hope misfortune has not befallen Pablo and that he is found to be safe somewhere."