Angaur State had signed a lease agreement with land owners on September 17 for the development of the Monkey Sanctuary.
A 99,459-square-meter land, which will soon house the Macaque Monkey Sanctuary, is being leased by the state government from the Sowei Clan of Angaur State.
Chief Renguul Yusim Mekui and other Sowei Clan authorized representatives namely Isabela Ridep and Capt. Arvin Raymond had signed the lease agreement with the state government last week.
Angaur State Governor Kennosuke Suzuky revealed that the parties had agreed that if the monkey sanctuary’s operation will prove effective during the first 10 years of operation, the state government will be allowed to use the land for another 10 years.
A rough estimate of the Macaque monkeys that are currently on Angaur Island currently places the number to more than 800, Governor Suzuky said.
The governor also shares his plans of working with the Okeanos Palau in the areas of eco-tourism where they can tap into the Vaka Motu, a modernized traditional boat, in providing a carbon-neural means of transport for tourists visiting Angaur state.
The governor said that they intend to have the soft-opening for the sanctuary in the later part of November this year as soon as the first two important components of the project which include securing the lease agreement and developing a mechanism to attract the monkeys to come to the sanctuary.
“From there, everything that enhances the sanctuary – the guest house and gift shop, can come later,” Suzuky said.
The governor also shared that he is currently working on drafting a legislation in order to make the sanctuary a safe and habitable place for the monkeys. (By Rhealyn C. Pojas)