The One Voice association calls for the end of the breeding of cute lemurs (Microcebus murinus), tiny lemurs with big eyes, in a branch of the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN) and intended for animal experimentation.
In the Brunoy branch (Essonne), the animal house is home to nearly 500 lemurs, the world's largest breeding of lemurs, on which studies relating to development and aging are being carried out.
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“
They are being held there for animal testing.
Mixed teams of researchers from the MNHN, CNRS and other institutions are indeed passionate about these descendants of individuals captured in Madagascar, in particular because of their small size which makes them as easy to handle as mice while sharing with the Man a more important heritage
"than the latter, explained to AFP on Friday Muriel Arnal, founding president of One Voice.
“
We are denied inspection reports.
We are therefore going to go to court
”
“
We are not denouncing the breeding conditions for the moment because we do not have the inspection reports.
It is the destination of these animals that we denounce.
It is felt that they should not be used in labs,
”she added.
The association says it requested documents a few months ago from the Commission for Access to Administrative Documents.
“
We are denied inspection reports.
We will therefore go to court,
”assured Muriel Arnal.
For its part, the MNHN affirms that lemecoebes are bred with respect for animal welfare for "
good quality of research
".
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“
We study the lemur for its specific aging and metabolism capacities, rapid functions modified by stress. We therefore want animals in good health and not under stress,
”commented Jean-Marie Héliès, veterinarian in charge of animal welfare at the MNHN. “
Lurees exhibit lesions in the brain as they age similar to those that can be found in Alzheimer's. Potentially, they hold the keys to understanding, at the molecular and tissue level, mechanisms that could make it possible to treat Alzheimer's but also cancer and all pathologies linked to aging,
”he added.
They are housed in groups in aviaries "
in conditions close to nature
".
“
They have ropes and nests and have a lot of equipment for playing, jumping and running.
They have fresh fruit, a meal based on mealworms to stimulate their natural behavior,
”says the veterinarian.