Is biomedical research demand driving a monkey business?

For decades, animal models such as the macaque have been used in the advancement of human medicine and therefore have been subject to extensive trade globally. The sustained need of macaques for research necessitates assessment of the international trade and whether appropriate regulations are in place to safeguard animal welfare, public health and scientific integrity. In this study, we investigated the trade in live macaques (Macaca fascicularis) for commercial, scientific and medical purposes reported through the CITES Trade Database between 2000 and 2020 from selected countries. Discrepancies were evident in the data collected, particularly associated with the quantities of live animals reported by the exporting and importing countries. Of particular interest were the trade discrepancies reported between 2019 and 2020, wherein Cambodia significantly increased their exports of macaques whilst China, traditionally one of the largest suppliers of macaques, ceased all exports. Concurrently there were notable inconsistencies between the macaque trade permitted for export to the United States and the import quantity reported. Such findings suggest that the macaque trade requires more stringent monitoring in order to minimise potential illegal wildlife trade activity and reduce the risk of zoonoses or pathogen spill-over events. Therefore, increased regulation on a global scale is required to ensure that the supply of macaques is legitimate, supports quality research and does not provide an opportunity for future disease outbreaks to occur.