three canadian mps call on trudeau government to end importation of endangered macque monkeys

Photo: Ignacio Yufera

I've learned that the image of a macaque monkey that I posted was not the kind of monkey that is being illegally trafficked in Canada. That image was of a toque monkey. I've updated that previous post with an image of long-tailed macaque, also pictured here (two photos, see below).

There's been a welcome development on this issue! Three members of Canada's Parliament have brought it up with cabinet ministers and called for immediate action.

[Canadians: please click here to sign a petition to end the illegal trafficking of long-tailed macaques.]

In a letter sent on October 24, MPs Alexandre Boulerice, Laurel Collins, and Matthew Green called on cabinet ministers to immediately block any further illegal importation of long-tailed macaques for international monkey dealer Charles River Laboratories.

The letter urged the minister of transport, the minister of the environment and climate change, and the minister of public safety to:

• Enforce existing laws, focusing on scrutinizing international shipments involving endangered species,


• Strengthen penalties for violations in order to deter illegal activities, and


• Implement safeguards to verify that imported long-tailed macaques aren’t illegally abducted from forests.

The letter states, in part:

We are committed to working with our parliamentary colleagues to explore new legislative measures that could prohibit the importation of all primates for use in experimentation, protect endangered species, and prevent Canada from becoming a hub for unethical and illegal wildlife trade practices.

Photo: Ignacio Yufera

The letter follows a detailed report from primate scientist Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel and a fine imposed by the Canadian Transportation Agency against SkyTaxi, a small Poland-based cargo airline, for $7,500 for three illegal shipments of 1,980 monkeys. This works out to less than $4 per monkey. 

Fines may be a useful deterrent, but Charles River can undoubtedly find another carrier to do their dirty work.

A reminder that the US has already refused to allow Charles River to import these endangered animals, and that's when the company turned to Canada. Beginning in early 2023, Charles River 

Laboratories imported more than 6,700 long-tailed macaques into Canada, shipments valued at more than $120,000.

World Animal Protection lists five facts about long-taled macaques and has some great photos of these intelligent, social, endangered animals. 

I hope you will click here to sign a petition calling on Canada to end the illegal, immoral, unethical, and completely unnecessary trafficking of these animals.