Japanese zoo kills 57 monkeys with 'alien' genesISSEI KATO/REUTERS Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys, are one of the country's tourist attractions. A Japanese zoo has culled 57 of its 164 monkeys after finding they carried "invasive alien" genes, a local official says. The monkeys, which were originally believed to be pure Japanese macaques, were killed by lethal injection at Takagoyama Nature Zoo, 60 kilometres south of Tokyo, in January, Tsutomu Hirano said on Wednesday. BUDDHIKA WEERASINGHE/GETTY IMAGES Environmentalists backed the decision noting it's crucial not to allow any contact between foreign and native species. Japanese macaques, also known as snow monkeys and native to Japan, are one of the country's tourist attractions.

Source: Stuff February 22, 2017 06:34 UTC