According to the U.S. National Association for Biological Research, which is the only national, non-profit organization solely dedicated to public policy for essential animal research, monkeys have been imported from the wild for lethal pharmaceutical testing since the 1970s. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed the long-tailed macaques as an endangered species being exported and sold from Asia to the United States.
Although wild macaques are endangered, in a 2023 study, a macaque was found positive for latent tuberculosis (T.B.) when tested for stem-cell research. According to the Oregon Health and Science University, the monkey was likely procured from the wild. Due to the prices per monkey increasing after the pandemic, traffickers illegally obtain them from the wild. This means monkeys may be less likely to be tested in good condition.
In early 2023, 1,000 wild long-tailed macaques entered the United States from Cambodia. The Department of Justice estimates that over 2,600 wild macaques were illegally brought into the U.S. from 2018 to 2022, causing widespread illegal trade.
On account of these illegally trafficked wild animals, scientists say a risk of another pandemic is likely going to occur, with a chance of 50% within the next twenty-five years. The World Animal Protection entreats the U.S. government to no longer use animals in animal testing, regardless of species. The U.S. government responded by announcing inspections and stating that violations are punished with fines, cease-and-desist orders, and license suspensions.
Unfortunately, there has not been any ban on animal testing, and in fact, animal testing in the United States increased by 6% in 2021, with data of 71,921 monkeys used in experiments, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Progress has been made to fundamentally shift from harming animals, but with the current results we have, we aren’t even close.
Works Cited
“Cruelty in Animal Testing Laboratories.” PETA, 30 Nov. 2022,
“The U.S. Is Still Failing Animals and the Public.” Cruelty Free International, 27 Feb. 2023,
U.S. Safety Protocols Stopped TB in Imported Lab Monkeys From …,
The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect nor represent the Earth Chronicles and its editorial board.
