The transfer of four baby gorillas from an African country to Malaysia early this year was part of an exchange programme and not a trade, said Perak's Taiping zoo director Dr Kevin Lazarus today.

"It's not a trade but an exchange. We have all the proper documentation," he said when contacted.

According to Lazarus, the exchange programme was conducted with the Ibadan Zoo in Nigeria.

However, he refused to provide copies of the documentation when asked by malaysiakini.

Lazarus was responding to an AFP report yesterday which said a group of international animal rights campaigners is calling for an inquiry into the matter.

Rare gorillas

Known as the International Primates Protection League, the group claimed that a Nigerian individual had offered the gorillas to the Taiping Zoo for the price of RM6 million (US$1.6 million).

The four rare western lowland gorillas were flown from the Nigerian capital of Lagos to Malaysia between Jan 18-20.

The report added the same individual had issued a price list on other animals, whose trade is banned. The prices ranged from RM304,000 (US$80,000) for a baby jackal to RM760,000 (US$200,000) for four baby chimpanzees.

Under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), trade in highly endangered animals such as wild-born gorillas is outlawed. Both Malaysia and Nigeria are signatories to this convention.

Meanwhile, Lazarus said in return, Malaysia will give some of its animals to the Nigerian zoo.

"We will give Sun bears, Malayan tigers and a few other species to the Ibadan Zoo," he said.

He added that the Taiping zoo was also planning to take some small antelopes called duikers.