11 February 2025: Monkeys subjected to brutal surgery in the Netherlands

Rather than using their intellect and resources compassionately, researchers at the Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience (KNAW) in the Netherlands have prepared a 'how to' publication on abusing rhesus macaques in the name of science (Papale et al 2025. The work, which was publicly funded by the Dutch Ministry of Science and the European Union, was approved by Centrale Commissie Dierproeven of the Netherlands and published in the journal Neuron, produced by @CellPressNews.

The researchers disingenuously claimed that two adult male rhesus macaques (just referred to as monkey F and monkey N) participated in this project, as if the monkeys had a choice and would have allowed themselves to be treated in such a brutal fashion! They were subjected to three head surgeries over a period of many months. The first was to implant posts into the skull to be used later to restrain the individuals' heads. The second surgery, several months later, involved dissecting away skin over the skull in order to implant a base plate for use with a bundle of electrodes. Several months after that, an additional surgery (craniotomy) was done to open up the skull and implant electrodes that entered the brain. In order to do this, part of the cheek bone was cut out for access.

As part of the testing process, the macaques' access to fluids was controlled in order to 'motivate' them to carry out certain tasks. Testing involved restraining them in an unstated device, with their heads firmly fixed, while they 'performed' tasks for fluid rewards. No information was provided on how long the macaques were used in this research nor their ultimate fate.

The research industry continually claims that non-human primates are used in research only when absolutely necessary and only when there are no other alternatives available. This shameful project, which resulted in substantial suffering for the monkeys, demonstrates the meaningless nature of such assurances and a lack of commitment to stop using non-human primates. Funding agencies are largely to blame for this. For the sake of science, if for nothing else, they must support only humane and human-relevant alternatives or improving those that already exist, rather then paying researchers to concoct new ways of abusing non-consenting beings such as non-human primates.

Papale, Paolo; Wang, Feng; Self, Matthew W. and Roelfsema, Pieter R. 2025-01-09 An extensive dataset of spiking activity to reveal the syntax of the ventral stream Neuron S0896-6273(24)00881-X

Craniotomy:

This is a surgical procedure to access the brain. Typically, an area on the head is shaved. An incision is made through the skin and tissues underlying it, down to the surface of the skull, in such a way as to create a flap that can be pulled away to expose the skull. Depending on what type of access to the brain is required, holes may be drilled through the skull into the brain cavity, for example for injections, or a portion of the bone may be cut out in order to implant a bank of electrodes. When done, bone cement may be used to fill in the hole in the skull and the overlying tissues sutured.

20 January 2025: Baby monkeys subjected to chronic stress in Chinese laboratory to study depression

With no compassion or concern for the suffering they were inflicting, Chinese researchers studied the effects on chemicals in the spinal fluid of baby rhesus macaques after subjecting them to chronic stress and substantial suffering, including depriving them of their mothers, in order to induce 'depression' (Li & Feng 2024). This brutal treatment inflicted upon the baby monkeys was authorized by the Animal Care and Use Committee of Kunming Animal Research Institute and had passed the ethical review of animal experiment welfare of Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The results of the experiment were published in the journal Brain and Behavior, produced by @WileyGlobal.

Eight newborn male rhesus monkeys were used in this inhumane experiment. Four were removed from their mothers at birth, and were forced to live alone in an incubator for one month. After that, they were housed, again without their mothers, in pairs in small steel cages for about six months. The other four babies were allowed to remain with their mothers for seven months. All eight monkeys were then housed together for a period of time before being held in single cages.

Over the next several months, the babies were subjected to what the researchers characterised as unpredictable chronic stressors which were designed to cause extreme stress and highly abnormal behaviour. These included further restriction of space; intimidation by unknown methods; keeping lights on for abnormal and prolonged periods; and withholding of all food for an unstated period of time. These stressful conditions were randomly administered.

Throughout the 'study', the babies were repeatedly removed from their cages and anaesthetised to get cerebrospinal fluid using a needle inserted into the lumbar (lower) region of their spinal canal. Removal of cerebrospinal fluid can cause severe headaches, backaches, nausea and vomiting, dizziness and other problems in humans. It is reasonable to assume that all non-human primates can also be subject to these complications. The ultimate fate of the babies was not stated nor was any information provided on the behaviour of the babies or the mothers whose babies were removed from them. The researchers did point out that their previous research using similar methodology caused significant depressive behavior in macaques including reduced movement; stereotypical behaviours; huddling or curling up in their cages.

Li, Siyu and Feng, Xiaoli 2024-08-01 Dynamic quantitative monitoring of cerebrospinal fluid monoamine neurotransmitter markers during the modeling process of chronic stress-induced depression in monkeys (Macaca mulatta) Brain and Behavior 14(8):e3636

15 January 2025: CITES Secretariat recommends suspension in macaque trade from Cambodia

Action for Primates has welcomed a recommendation from the CITES Secretariat to suspend the trade in long-tailed macaques from Cambodia. This recommendation to the CITES Standing Committee will be voted on at a forthcoming meeting in Geneva on 3rd-8th February 2025. If accepted, the Standing Committee will recommend that all member countries stop importing long-tailed macaques from Cambodia.

This recommendation follows a CITES Review looking into the breeding and trade in long-tailed macaques, which has questioned the validity of the source codes used on CITES export permits, in particular claims of captive-breeding. A five-year US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) investigation into monkey trafficking revealed that wild long-tailed macaques in Cambodia were being falsely labelled as captive bred at Cambodian facilities (including Vanny Bio Research (Cambodia) Corporation Ltd). Unable to breed enough long-tailed macaques to supply the demand from the USA import and user companies, it was claimed that Vanny Bio Research started to illegally source wild-caught monkeys and export them labelled as captive-bred. The USFWS subsequently denied permits for the import of macaques from Cambodia, but other countries, including Canada, which has imported thousands of macaques in recent years, have continued to do so. The exploitation of this species is driven by the global trade in long-tailed macaques for the research and toxicity (poisoning) testing industry.

Sarah Kite, co-founder, Action for Primates, stated: We welcome this recommendation by the CITES Secretariat. Action for Primates, with other wildlife and conservation groups, has for many years been pushing for greater conservation protection for the long-tailed macaque in Cambodia and neighbouring countries, raising concerns about the credibility of captive-breeding claims, the conservation status of the species and the impacts of increasing international trade on that status.

Investigation of the macaque trade in Cambodia was recently the subject of a Bloomberg documentary: "The Dirty Business of Monkey Laundering | Bloomberg Investigates".

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora