Importation of Macaques: Humane World for Animals Canada Calls for Immediate Ban

Humane World for Animals Canada has revealed that between 2021 and 2023, nearly 1,800 wild macaques were imported into Canada, primarily from Cambodia and Mauritius. This information was disclosed in a statement released on Thursday, October 9, by the organization. Out of these animals, 1,772 were long-tailed macaques captured in the wild in Mauritius, while 24 others came from Cambodia.

In the same statement, Humane World for Animals Canada urgently called on the federal government to put an immediate stop to the importation of wild-caught macaques. According to the organization, this practice mainly involves the long-tailed macaque (Macaca fascicularis), a species that has been classified as endangered since 2022.

Canada is among the largest global importers of wild and endangered macaques, alongside the United States.

Additionally, the British NGO Action for Primates has criticized Mauritian authorities for serious shortcomings in their obligations under CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species).

Between 2019 and 2024, the number of macaques exported from Mauritius has doubled, reaching over 14,600 individuals, more than 12,000 of which were captured directly from the wild.

Mauritius classifies the macaque as an invasive exotic species, allowing it to evade certain obligations.

However, CITES reminds that even introduced species, if globally threatened, must receive protective measures.

The NGO also cited several recent flights to Canada, some of which were chartered directly from Mauritius to Montreal.