Bloomberg Originals - How Poachers Catch Wild Monkeys for Export
The video sheds light on the unethical and illegal practice known as 'monkey laundering.' This involves hiring local, often impoverished individuals who are familiar with the local wildlife and can be easily exploited for minimal wages. These individuals capture wild primates using electrocution devices and deliver them to facilities where the animals are falsely documented as being born in captivity. This practice is driven by the demand from pharmaceutical and research companies in the US and Europe, as it is often illegal to take animals directly from the wild. The video highlights a specific case in Cambodia where macaque farms are suspected of capturing wild macaques and altering paperwork to disguise them as captive-bred, thus facilitating their sale to international research entities.
Key Points:
- 'Monkey laundering' involves capturing wild primates and falsifying documents to show they are captive-bred.
- Local, often poor individuals are hired to capture these animals, exploiting their knowledge of the area and wildlife.
- The practice is driven by demand from pharmaceutical and research companies in the US and Europe.
- It is illegal to take animals from the wild, hence the need for falsified documentation.
- A case in Cambodia highlights macaque farms involved in this illegal activity, altering paperwork to sell wild-caught animals as captive-bred.