\u201cI\u2019m happy to see science prevail, but I\u2019m not happy to see the long-tailed macaques endangered,\u201d Malene Friis Hansen, co-author of the assessment and a leading researcher on the species at Aarhus University in Denmark, told Mongabay by phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is a species of primate that shouldn\u2019t be in this situation \u2014 that we\u2019ve pushed such an adaptive synanthrope to this stage should be an eye-opener.\u201d<\/p>\n
The NABR filed its complaint in 2023, alleging conflicts of interest and scientific errors had influenced the original endangered listing. But last week, the IUCN announced<\/a> an internal investigation had found no breach of its conflict-of-interest policy. While the IUCN acknowledged that the original assessment contained some \u201cemotive, value-laden\u00a0language,\u201d it deemed this had no impact on the listing.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of who would benefit from downgrading long-tailed macaques [back] to vulnerable status, it really depends on who acts according to the IUCN Red List\u2019s listings or not,\u201d Hansen told Mongabay, noting that Southeast Asian governments are failing to protect the species in line with their endangered status. \u201cIn the past five years, there\u2019s been a great increase in price for long-tailed macaques to be used in biomedical research and this seems to have driven illegal activities.\u201d<\/p>\n The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzed demand<\/a> for long-tailed macaques as companies raced to develop vaccines. In early 2020, China, long the world\u2019s leading supplier of monkeys for research, banned exports of the species, causing a shortage<\/a> in countries like the U.S.<\/p>\n Cambodia then saw a 99<\/a>% jump in exports<\/a> of long-tailed macaques from 2019 to 2020, according to CITES t<\/a>rade data<\/a>, filling the gap left by China. Numerous reports<\/a> suggested that the Cambodian supply of captive-bred macaques was nowhere near the volume of exports, prompting suspicions that wild populations were being illegally exploited to make up the shortfall \u2014 something the Cambodian government has largely denied<\/a>.<\/p>\n Mongabay previously reported that Cambodian poachers were making up to $200 per wild monkey<\/a> sold to breeding farms, while shipping records show breeding farms sell <\/a>m<\/a>acaques<\/a> to biomedical companies<\/a> for tens of thousands of dollars per head, making \u201cmonkey laundering\u201d a lucrative business.<\/p>\n In 2022, U.S. federal prosecutors said they had evidence<\/a> of Cambodian government complicity in the poaching, laundering and sale of long-tailed macaques to U.S. companies. Evidence emerged<\/a> showing senior officials from Cambodia\u2019s Department of Forestry encouraging monkey smuggling within supposed captive-breeding facilities.<\/p>\n One of the Cambodian officials, Kry Masphal, eventually stood trial in the U.S. after more than\u00a0 a year of house arrest. Masphal was acquitted after a five-year investigation<\/a> by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service essentially failed to quell the illicit trade of monkeys that\u2019s driving the species into decline. No officials have been held accountable for monkey smuggling under Cambodian law.<\/p>\n Masphal\u2019s trial and other reports detailing the scheme<\/a> did prompt a review of Cambodia\u2019s long-tailed macaque exports by CITES, the international regulator of trade in endangered species. Ultimately, however, a proposal to suspend Cambodia\u2019s macaque exports was blocked<\/a>, largely by CITES member states that buy monkeys from Cambodia for biomedical research. It\u2019s estimated that at the time of Masphal\u2019s arrest, Cambodian long-tailed macaques made up 60% of <\/a>the estimated 30,000 primates imported each year by the <\/a>\u00a0U.S. biomedical industry<\/a> for research and testing. As such, the industry has been eager to retain access to the Cambodian supply.<\/p>\n Given that the IUCN only considers wild populations when assessing a species\u2019 conservation status, Hansen raised the question: \u201cIf these companies claim they\u2019re only using captive-bred monkeys and not wild-caught ones, then why are they so concerned about the IUCN listing?\u201d<\/p>\n The NABR, which represents many of the largest U.S. biomedical research companies involved in the trade of long-tailed macaques, didn\u2019t respond to an emailed request for comment.<\/p>\n While declining to answer specific questions, on Oct. 14 the NABR issued a press release<\/a> condemning the IUCN\u2019s decision to uphold the endangered status of long-tailed macaques and further alleging that a conflict of interest may exist regarding the authors of the 2025 assessment. The NABR\u2019s press release didn\u2019t detail what the alleged conflicts of interest may entail, but Matthew Bailey, president of the NABR, was quoted as saying the lobby group was \u201cdisappointed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt is beyond comprehension that the IUCN claims the species is at risk while simultaneously claiming it is one of the world\u2019s most invasive species,\u201d Bailey was quoted as saying in the press release. \u201cNABR will continue to educate policy makers and the public on these issues to protect public health and the integrity of the scientific process.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s not just biomedical research demand that\u2019s pushing long-tailed macaques to the brink of extinction.<\/p>\n Poaching for the exotic pet trade and the disturbing online world of animal abuse videos \u2014 which range from costume-clad monkeys performing stunts<\/a> for entertainment to the outright torture, mutilation and killing of the animals<\/a> \u2014 has become more widespread. Indonesia in particular appears to be a hub for the production of such videos, but the audience is global, thanks to weak moderation by social media platforms<\/a>.<\/p>\n Hansen said governments need to do more to protect the species domestically, using the IUCN listing as an impetus to ensure no individuals are taken from the wild for biomedical or toxicological research<\/a> or to replenish captive populations in breeding centers.<\/p>\n She added that social media giants like Facebook, TikTok, Instagram and YouTube need to be held legally accountable for animal abuse content posted to their platforms. Calls are growing<\/a> for platforms and users found to be participating in or profiting from the exploitation of animals online to face harsher consequences.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, habitat protection is needed too,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cBut again, with the long-tailed macaque, human settlements are part of its habitat; if we could in some ways acknowledge that, or find some form of coexistence, then that would also help the species.\u201d<\/p>\n Long-tailed macaques are often regarded as ubiquitous, particularly at popular Southeast Asian tourism sites like Angkor Wat in Cambodia<\/a> or Lopburi city in Thailand<\/a>, giving the impression that they\u2019re pests that exist in abundance. But it was the destruction of their natural habitats that pushed the species into urban environments in the first place. And while they may be seen in large numbers by tourists, they\u2019re increasingly difficult to find in the jungles where they belong.<\/p>\n Across Cambodia<\/a>, Indonesia<\/a>, Malaysia<\/a> and Thailand<\/a>, efforts are being made to curb their populations in urban areas and tourism sites. Yet at the same time, the rate of deforestation<\/a> throughout the region continues to push the monkeys into contact with humans.<\/p>\n \u201cLocal smear campaigns against the species don\u2019t help,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cThere\u2019s been a lot of public pressure \u2014 and a lot of money to be made \u2014 in shaping our perception of this highly intelligent species.\u201d<\/p>\n Such pressure appears to have been successful in the U.S., where lobbying efforts are widely regarded as behind the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service\u2019s decision not to extend protection to long-tailed macaques under the Endangered Species Act. That\u2019s despite a 2023 petition from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) requesting the macaque be protected<\/a> under the U.S. law so as to align domestic legislation with IUCN guidelines.<\/p>\n The NABR praised USFWS\u2019s decision, saying at the time<\/a> that it looked forward to working with the agency \u201cto ensure the integrity of its scientific processes.\u201d<\/p>\n It\u2019s difficult to gauge the level of influence that the NABR has over U.S. legislators, but the body has long proven itself effective at ensuring the free flow of trade in long-tailed macaques. The NABR was the only observer party given time to speak at the CITES conference<\/a> where the regulatory body declined to suspend Cambodian exports.<\/p>\n Despite the NABR\u2019s nonprofit status, its senior executives are deeply involved in the biomedical industry, with board member Kevin McNelly<\/a> currently working as vice president for global procurement of Charles River Laboratories \u2014 a company known to purchase<\/a> long-tailed macaques from Cambodia and Vietnam. Charles River Laboratories was subpoenaed by the U.S. Department of Justice<\/a> in 2023 in relation to its sourcing of macaques.<\/p>\n Also on the NABR board is John Sagartz<\/a>, chief strategy officer at pharmaceutical company Inotiv, which also sourced monkeys from Cambodia<\/a> and was subsequently investigated by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission<\/a> for possible violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. That investigation was closed<\/a> in June, however, with no enforcement action taken.<\/p>\n \u201cThe IUCN\u2019s confirmation that long-tailed macaques are endangered is grounded in science and evidence, and it exposes how industry lobbyists weaponized a false conflict of interest claim to delay protections and keep the illegal primate trade alive,\u201d Lisa Jones-Engel, a primatologist working with PETA, told Mongabay in a message.<\/p>\n After the rejection of its petition, PETA filed another in January 2025<\/a> to have long-tailed macaques protected under the Endangered Species Act. In the absence of formal action on its petition, the animal rights NGO on Oct. 10 published a letter addressed to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service<\/a> reiterating the need for protection of the long-tailed macaque.<\/p>\n Far from simply relying on the science, PETA\u2019s letter questions the seemingly close relationship between regulators in the U.S. and business interests that operate in Cambodia. The letter pointed to photos posted online in March 2025<\/a> by Cambodia\u2019s Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries showing former U.S. interior secretary David Bernhardt \u2014 who oversaw USFWS during its five-year investigation in Cambodia \u2014 visiting<\/a> Vanny Bio Research, K-F Cambodia and Orient Cam, three breeding facilities accused of monkey laundering<\/a>.<\/p>\n Bernhardt\u2019s visit appeared to coincide with the presence of Hing Ip Chung, the general manager of Vanny Bio Research, who is currently wanted by the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as that of a Charles River Laboratories representative, raising questions about the efficacy of law enforcement operations.<\/p>\n Even though Masphal, the Cambodian forestry official who stood trial in the US, managed to walk free, PETA pointed to evidence suggesting the smuggling of wild-caught monkeys in Cambodia continues unabated.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile the [USFWS] drags its feet, the monkey laundering carries on,\u201d PETA wrote in its letter last week. \u201cAs recently as last month, a whistleblower relayed to PETA that hundreds of [long-tailed macaques] died while en route to K-F Cambodia when the trucks transporting them broke down. This farm is on record with CITES as only engaging in captive breeding, which begs the questions: Why would K-F Cambodia be bringing in several hundred [long-tailed macaques], and where were these monkeys sourced from?\u201d<\/p>\n Khim Finan, a spokesperson for the Cambodian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, did not respond to questions sent by Mongabay regarding the allegations of ongoing monkey laundering, the ministry\u2019s relationship with private sector actors it\u2019s supposed to regulate, or whether the ministry has complied with CITES\u2019s requests for more data regarding the abnormally high birth rate ahead of the CITES summit scheduled for Nov. 24 to Dec. 5, 2025, in Uzbekistan.<\/p>\n Banner image:\u00a0Long-tailed macaques were originally listed as endangered on the IUCN\u2019s Red List in 2022 due to overexploitation and habitat loss.\u00a0<\/p>\n ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025_05_EL_MacaquesIrregularities_01.jpg\")
Monkey poaching has reportedly declined in Cambodia as the populations and habitats of long-tailed macaques are believed to have declined in recent years. Images supplied by source.
\n\u2018Monkey laundering\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Screenshot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/USFWS-screenshot-of-Vanny-Bio-monkey-delivery-Cambodia-2019.png\")
Screenshot from undercover footage acquired by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service during their five-year investigation into Cambodian monkey farms.<\/p>\n![\"Using](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025_60_AA_Monkeyfarms_v4-scaled.jpg\")
Using publicly available data, Mongabay was able to map out many of the suspected long-tailed macaque farms across Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, as well as an established smuggling point in Thailand. Image by Andr\u00e9s Alegr\u00eda \/ Mongabay.
\nDelinquent platforms and smear campaigns<\/p>\n![\"Long-tailed](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Battambang-LTMs-2020-scaled.jpg\")
Long-tailed macaques living in the mountains of Cambodia\u2019s Battambang province. Photo by Gerald Flynn \/ Mongabay.<\/p>\n![\"Reporters](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/DJI_0998-scaled.jpg\")
Reporters visited a long-tailed macaque breeding facility in Pursat province. The farm is owned by Vanny Bio, one of the companies indicted by U.S. federal prosecutors. Image by Gerald Flynn \/ Mongabay.
\nThe monkey trade goes on<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/2025_05_EL_MacaquesIrregularities_creditsrequired_Animal-Rights-BE_03.jpg\")
Inspections at Brussels Airport found long-tailed macaques exported from Vietnam. Image supplied by Animal Rights BE.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n