In 2020, the Canadian government approved the import of 1,056 macaca fascicularis (a type of macaque) by private interests from Cambodia for "scientific and research" use, a first since at least 2016 according to documents obtained by National Post through an access to information request. Buyukmihci, who founded the Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights, said the units used to measure the specimens provide clues. The U.S. imported the highest number of live macaques from Cambodia during each of the years corruption is alleged, totaling nearly 70,000 monkeys, according totrade data. China Globalisation Governance Ideology Justice Politics, Culture Education Health Migration Rights, Climate Energy Nature Pollution Resources Urbanisation, Economics Innovation Corruption Sustainability Startups, indicted by U.S. prosecutors for wildlife trafficking. Copyright 2022 The Phnom Penh Post. The farm exported more than 40,700 live macaques to the U.S. from 2020 to 2022, according to data published by the head of Cambodias Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. But in what conservationists call an ironic tragedy, Kry was apprehended in New York for smuggling endangered wild monkeys into the United States. And theyre prone to stress just from being around people for the first time, which could result in very different data., Last week, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals asked CDC to suspend all nonhuman primate exports from Cambodia. Male stump-tailed macaques tend to be larger than females, a trait known as sexual dimorphism. For the stump-tailed macaque, the ministry recorded 56 remaining groups of this globally endangered species in Cambodia in 2020, each of which has between 50 and 60 members. Thuok Nao, who works with Omaliss at the ministry and the CITES Management Authority of Cambodia, wrote in an email that the Cambodian government is trying its best to respond to this incident.. Based on these numbers, the researchers calculated the farms would have needed to breed almost double their stock to about 103,000 macaques to support the roughly 33,000 exported in 2020. I spied the mother monkey with her baby. Come see the world with me! Im thinking of visiting Southeast Asia this year. There are a lot of this monkeys species in Cambodia . According to CITES trade data, Italy imported the largest quantity of nearly 41,000 specimens in two massive shipments in 2020 and 2021. I so want to go to Cambodia and meet those macaques. A 71-year-old man was attacked and seriously injured by his pet monkey yesterday morning in Preah Sihanouk province's Prey Nob district. "They have been released into the forest near Tnort Chum commune's Prey Khla village, in . Based on these numbers, the researchers calculated the farms would have needed to breed almost double their stock to about 103,000 macaques to support the roughly 33,000 exported in 2020. Besides the ecological impacts to the dwindling number of wild monkeys, veterinary scientists say mixing poached animals with the farmed population could pose a global public health risk by potentially exporting diseases to foreign labs. Long-tailed macaques have been the most-traded primate for decades because of their use in biomedical research. Demand for the species skyrocketed after the outbreak of Covid-19. The company currently houses more than 9000 monkeysthe vast majority cynoswhich it sells to private and academic labs. contact@pulitzercenter.org, Stories by Campus Consortium Reporting Fellows, Deep Dives: Ocean and Fisheries Reporting, Underreported Stories in Sub-Saharan Africa, Science Misinformation: Journalism in the Age of Truth Decay, Bringing Stories Home: Local Reporting Grants, COVID-19, Vaccines, and Global Health Inequities, OPPORTUNITIES FOR CAMPUS CONSORTIUM MEMBERS, When South-East Asias Forests Fall Silent, Waiting for Bilou's Melodious Screech Again (bahasa Indonesia), Documentary: Destruction of Sipora Primate Habitat, Cambodian Officials Charged with Wildlife Trafficking, a Wake-Up Call for Global Monkey Trade. In that same period, for the first time recorded by CITES, Canada also imported more than 2,000 live macaques directly from Cambodia. Ancient Angkor Empire Paradise on Earth, How to visit the most secret temples of Cambodia, Things you should know before entering Cambodia, International Union for Conservation of Natures, Wisconsin National Primate Research Centre. Science and AAAS are working tirelessly to provide credible, evidence-based information on the latest scientific research and policy, with extensive free coverage of the pandemic. Khouth Sophak ChakryaPhnom PenhPublication date 06 October 2019 | 21:17 ICT. OConnor suggests one solution: ensuring that all captive-bred animals have extensive pedigree records, which could be kept in a global registry. Within the four years prosecutors say wild monkeys were laundered through the legal trade into the U.S., labs there acted as a main supplier of Cambodian macaque specimens for countries across the West. Taking the time, even though the mind boggles at doing these calculations, to arrive at a feasible number gives us that backing, Warne said. Thats the only way to ensure theyre not getting wild-caught animals, she says. Honda Monkey 125cc 2022 price $3650 Used posted by Meng Meng 168 MengMeng 168 . Besides the ecological impacts to the dwindling number of wild monkeys, veterinary scientists say mixing poached animals with the farmed population could pose a global public health risk by potentially exporting diseases to foreign labs. A family of cynos in the wild in Cambodia. Previous. In 2014, the CITES Management Authority in Cambodia submitted a letter to the CITES Secretariat, which is one of the only public documents with information about the then six breeding facilities in the Kingdom. Alongside these legal concerns, Chaber also points to the risks that mixing wild-caught and captive-bred monkeys could have on global health. The stump-tailed macaque resembles the northern pig-tailed macaque, also known as Macaca leonina. Cambodias dominance of this trade, which spiked during the Covid-19 pandemic, leaves researchers boggled and pointing at the countrys murky monkey business. The alleged crimes committed include capturing wild macaques from protected areas in Cambodia, falsifying export permits, as well as offering and accepting bribes, according to the court document. By WA Admin | March 13, 2020 | Categories: In the News, Wildlife Rapid Rescue Team | Tags: animal abuse, animal rescue, apsara, filming, Forestry Administration, macaque monkeys, macaques, Ministry of Environment Cambodia, monkey, monkey rescue, monkeys, vos, Wildlife Alliance | 2 Comments Share This Story, Choose Your Platform! But its unclear how large that profit margin is. In November, six employees were indicted for wildlife trafficking. These are all basic enforcement requirements mandated by CITES. All we wanted was to decompress. Thats likely a conservative estimate, they said, based on factors including infant mortality and fertility rates. The species, Macaca arctoides, is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. Nearly 1500 of these laundered cynos arrived in the United States from 2018 to 2020, according to the indictment, with potentially hundreds more in 2021. The Kingdom made up 78.5% of the global trade in 2020, according to the CITES trade database, which also recorded that three in every five of those monkeys were exported to the U.S. Cambodia traded more than 32,300 macaques worldwide in 2020, nearly doubling the amount of exports from the Kingdom the year before. Its unclear how many of the animals in question have been used in research, but one of two companies that received them is the largest private supplier of monkeys to U.S. research labs, Science has learned. On Monday, it asked the U.S. National Institutes of Health to determine the precise origin of every [cyno] imported from Cambodia since 2017 and currently in publicly funded laboratories.. It depends who you ask, For flying insects, night light hampers upright flight, A new test can pick out Parkinsons disease patients before their symptoms begin, Inflammation could drive lung cancer risk linked to air pollution, Biological syringes could change how drugs are delivered, Indictment of monkey importers could disrupt U.S. research, U.S. blames massive hack of research data on Iran. The Angkor Wat monkey troop was in full force. Cambodia is a ratified party of CITES. Regardless, the pandemic surge of macaque exports shocked researchers. The video was captioned with unverified claims of blood on the floor of a cage and that one of the macaques had been killed. Suddenly the woman that checked us in the first day showed up with a large dog of unrecognizable pedigree. As in the live trade, CITES tracks the import and export of specimens, which are officially defined as any readily recognisable part of an animal. All Rights Reserved. U.S. charges drug researchers with sending trade secrets to China, but will case stand up? Disclosure: travelswithtalek.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. They were almost like an intelligent, strategic street gang. While not the top importer by quantity, the UK most frequently imported specimens, with nearly 20 shipments from 2018 to 2021. You can fly direct to Siem Reap from all southeast Asia capital cities and many secondary cities as well. Is Cambodia and Angkor Wat on your bucket list? In college I determined that whatever I studied would have to lead to the ultimate goal of traveling. To see such a rise in such a short period of time, it is almost astounding to the point where you almost have to ask: If it is real, they are doing something incredible. And if its not real, then they are doing something quite questionable, said Regina Warne, lead author of the study. When the time is right, we will release them into a forest that is part of a wildlife sanctuary guarded by rangers. Photos by Anton L. Delgado for Southeast Asia Globe. there are monkeys inside Angkor Wat and Angkor Tom . According to an ANA notice on December 28, in addition to causing disturbances involving tourists the monkeys had posed a risk to the temples by inadvertently knocking stones loose and causing other minor damage that could become a problem if it accumulated over time. But nothing like what really happened. You can also buy a one day pass for $20. Help News from Science publish trustworthy, high-impact stories about research and the people who shape it. Now, police officers are questioning the suspect to gather a case to send to the court. Get more great content like this delivered right to you! The letter stated the capture of wild monkeys was outlawed in 2010, following the issuing of permits for nearly 37,800 macaques to be taken from the wild between 2003 to 2009. Known trade of long-tailed macaques from Cambodia (2004-2020) Data annually submitted to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, tracked the steady rise of Cambodia's contributions to the monkey trade since the early 2000s. Their details are as follows: The Apsara Authority - info@apsaraauthority.gov.kh The Cambodian Government Forestry Administration - info@maff.gov.kh or on Facebook A U.S. warrant has been signed for Omaliss arrest, as of early November. In order to get specimens, you have to have the live animal somewhere, said Nedim Buyukmihci, an emeritus professor of veterinary medicine from the University of California-Davis who published a 2023 paper on animal welfare in labs. Story It is more in the responsibilities of the country of origin to delve into the legitimacy of the trade.. CAMBODIA: THE GREAT MONKEY ATTACK OF ANGKOR WAT Last updated June 2020 When you think of Cambodia you think of the temples of Angkor Wat but you don't think of a monkey attack! The species is easily distinguished as female or male, with females being white with a head bag and a black chest, and males being black when they are three to four years old, except for white hair on their arms, legs, and around the genitals. The practice of illegally taking them from their habitat to end up in a lab is something we need to stop, said Juan Antonio Gonzalez, a U.S. attorney. The monkeys had been disturbing tourists recently and there was some concern that their presence could damage the temple ruins by causing wear and tear on them over time. Pheaktra stated that conservation groups and law enforcement officials have worked hard to prevent wildlife trafficking crimes. In what Kite called an ironic tragedy, the November indictment followed the arrest of an official from the Cambodian Forestry Administration which enforces CITES within the country in the U.S. for wildlife trafficking. The ANA emphasised that no monkeys would be harmed or killed as a result of this operation. Thats easier, faster, and less expensive than building up a bigger pipeline.. Flashing neon lights are everywhere advertising luxury hotels, elaborate shows, and sumptuous buffets. For an unknowable number of these potentially trafficked animals, or at least bits and pieces of them, the U.S. was just a layover. Representatives from the Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildlife Alliance, Fauna Fauna & Flora International, Conservation International and WWF-Greater Mekong all declined to comment on the subject, pointing to its political sensitivity. AUnited Nations-managed trade databasehas recorded the export of more than 100,000 macaques, listed as live or specimens, from Cambodia to the U.S. in the following two decades. Last July, the macaque was uplisted from "vulnerable" to "endangered" on theRed List of Threatened Species, which cited biological use as a key threat. Several countries, mostly in southeast Asia, stepped in to fill the gap. They are a huge part of the ecosystem, Hansen said. The pipeline is likely not sustainable. Siem Reap is the gateway for the Angkor Wat temple complex about four miles away. However, research in Cambodia discovered that there are 56 groups of them.". Stump-tailed macaques may live up to 30 years, but their . The findings of a 2023 study highlight the incredulity that Cambodia is meeting market demands legally. Cambodias Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation has issued a diplomatic note to the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh requesting clarification about the arrest and for the release of Mr. Kry and for him to stay at the Cambodian Embassy in Washington, Nao shared. The statement ended with a ministry promise to seek justice for our officials., The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Dith Tina did not respond to requests for comment. The billion-dollar legal industry draws heavily on the long-tailed macaque species to provide monkeys for medical experiments. And if its not real, then they are doing something quite questionable, said Regina Warne, lead author of the study. We provide an element of an answer because the numbers provided to CITES do not match with Cambodias farming capabilities.. America is the centre of the global trade in primates for research, said Sarah Kite, co-founder of the animal rights group Action for Primates. The fact these indictments involve, not only staff within this one particular company, but also officials within the Cambodian department of forestry should be a wake-up call to governments and the industry, Kite said. While controls may be unchanged, talk of the indictment or Cambodias monkey industry as a whole has become taboo amongwildlife conservationists. If you are looking at the actual origins of where these body parts are coming from, then it is difficult to know how many macaques were involved in that trade, said Kite, who previously managed undercover investigations into primate labs. Youve got the same impact potentially as in the live trade.. The primate industry,worth an estimated$1.25 billion, is overseen by a UN trade convention known asCITES, which legalises the commerce through apermit system,animal welfare regulations,breeding requirementsand other rules. Canada brought in more than 26,500 millilitres of Cambodian-origin macaque specimens from 2017 to 2019, which was a larger volume than any other country trading with the U.S. As we readied ourselves a monkey came from behind, jumped on my back and tore off my hair beret while another grabbed at my backpack which contained fruit. Regardless, the pandemic surge of macaque exports shocked researchers. The indictment of several members of an alleged international monkey smuggling ring is sending ripples through the U.S. biomedical community. We will take them there first so that specialists can observe them and take care of their health. They carry diseases and can easily bite or scratch people.. The hosts were nice, gave us a couple of towels and said goodnight. China used to be the main supplier of cynosexporting approximately 30,000 in 2018but the country shut off its supply during the pandemic, which experts have attributed to the trade war with the United States and Chinas desire to beef up its own biomedical industry. Government officials have steadfastly denied the corruption charges. imports of macaques. Our paper is asking more questions than providing answers. The U.S. biomedical community should invest in breeding these animals domestically, he says. You need more than a day to see the entire complex comfortably so a three-day pass at $40 is actually a bargain. Whether they might potentially have been wild caught, Kite said. (202) 332-0982 The farm exported more than 40,700 live macaques to the U.S. from 2020 to 2022, according to data published by the head of Cambodias Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Members work with our team to shape our editorial direction and hold us accountable. Maybe they became so troublesome that they were removed. These events deepened pre-existing doubts about Cambodias macaque exports. Now, when people dont feed them the monkeys get upset and steal the food anyways and even bite people. The world is a village. Thats because labs there routinely dissected Cambodian macaques to re-export hundreds of shipments of dismembered body parts to Canada and across Europe. Hes one of eight charged as part of an international primate smuggling ring, which includes the director general of Cambodias Forestry Administration, as well as the owner, general manager and four employees of primate supplier Vanny Resources and Bio Research, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. Indictments were also issued against six Vanny Resources and Bio Research employees: founder and owner James Man Sang Lau, general manager Dickson Lau, deputy general manager Sunny Chan, export manager Raphael Cheung Man, finance officer Sarah Yeung and manager of the Cambodia facilities Hing Ip Chung. The company did not respond to a request for comment but in a public release strongly denied any wrongdoing. Cambodias exports of long-tailed macaques to the U.S. date back to 2000 and this industry has boomed since then. Over the past years, through personal travels and as an international business professional, I've traveled to over 110 countries. So, illegal trade and trafficking of the species is against the law., Your support ensures great journalism and education on underreported and systemic global issues, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW That could be accomplished by designing studies that require fewer animals, and working with regulators to require fewer of these animals for research such as drug safety studies. Mom KunthearPhnom PenhPublication date 30 December 2020 | 21:55 ICT. That was a while ago. Story Rich types of monkeys at the temple complex of Cambodia. But none of them was tortured or killed. But vicious and aggressive ones pose a risk to humans. As Cambodia leads the global macaque market, the depth of the allegations against its government and largest monkey farm have cast doubt over the entire trade. Today, primatologists fear that ecosystems without macaques could have concerning effects on Southeast Asias forests. As we left, the woman told us that monkeys in Cambodia sometimes get frisky if you feed them, especially the monkeys at Angkor Wat. Hi, my name is Hout Nanin. Largest monkey farm in Cambodia meets demands for monkey specimens and live animals for years before being charged for wildlife trafficking. This was just such a bizarre experience. Cynos are also the main monkey species imported to Europe for research. The United States is a leader in the global fight against the illicit trade in wildlife and views the trafficking of protected wildlife as a threat to good governance and rule of law while destabilising our environment, wrote Stephanie Arzate, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh.