9 January 2026: Mauritius government fails to acknowledge or respond to global appeal over plight of monkeys

A global appeal to the government in Mauritius regarding the plight of long-tailed macaques living there has gone unanswered. It was sent on 21st October 2024, to Dr the Hon Arvin Boolell, the Minister of Agro-Industry, by Asia for Animals Coalition (AFA) on behalf of its network of over 200 local, national and international animal protection and conservation organisations. The organisations urged the Mauritius government to provide protection to long-tailed macaques and to end the country's capture of wild monkeys for export, breeding and use in experiments. Following the failure by Dr the Hon Arvin Boolell to acknowledge or respond to the letter, a second appeal has been sent, this time to the Prime Minister, Dr the Hon Navinchandra Ramgoolam.

The appeals stem from information that was recently uncovered that points to a failure by Mauritius to comply with its obligations under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), in issuing permits for the export of long-tailed macaques, an Appendix II CITES-listed species (see Notes). A request has been sent to the CITES Secretariat that it investigates the status of Mauritius's compliance with its obligations under Article IV of the CITES Convention.

The long-tailed macaque is the most heavily traded non-human primate species and the most widely used in laboratories. There has been an alarming escalation in the numbers exported from Mauritius. Between 2015–2023, 103,397 long-tailed macaques were exported from Mauritius, primarily to the United States, Canada, the UK and EU for use by the research and toxicity (poisoning) testing industry, and between 2020–2023, 12,304 long-tailed macaques sourced as wild-caught were exported.

In a separate letter sent to Dr the Hon Arvin Boolell by several animal protection groups (Action for Primates, Monkey Massacre in Mauritius, PeTA and Cheshire Animal Rights Campaigns) on 29th October 2024, concerns were raised about Mauritius' compliance with clause (c) of the Article IV of the CITES Convention: ...a Management Authority of the State of export is satisfied that any living specimen will be so prepared and shipped as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment... This letter has since remained unanswered. Long-tailed macaques exported from Mauritius by air are being subjected to inhumane conditions, including lengthy transportation times that severely compromise their welfare. For example, in May 2025, Action for Primates received information that 800 long-tailed macaques transported by air from Mauritius to Miami, were subjected to a journey of over 43 hours, involving seven flights and stop-overs in Ethiopia, Greece, France, Iceland, Boston, New York and Miami; there was an eight and a half hour stop-over in Paris. The 43 hours does not include the hours spent at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport, nor the unloading in Miami and the onward journey by road to the US importer's premises.

Sarah Kite, Action for Primates stated:

The lack of response from the Mauritius government to this global appeal by the animal protection movement is indicative of the government's dismissive attitude towards the plight of long-tailed macaques. Regardless of whether the macaque population is native or introduced, it is a CITES-listed species and, as such, Mauritius has an obligation to comply with the CITES convention regarding their trade and transportation. It is unconscionable that the Mauritius government will not even acknowledge the appeal, while continuing to persecute and exploit the monkeys..

Mansa Daby, founder, Monkey Massacre in Mauritius, stated:

In addition to the letter sent to Minister Boolell, I have tabled at a meeting with the Division of Veterinary Services of his Ministry autopsy reports of macaques who died of cardiac arrest during air transport and documented findings by the U.S. Department of Agriculture identifying serious animal welfare violations.

The macaque breeders routinely capture monkeys not only from the wild but also from residential and agricultural areas under so-called 'nuisance control' operations. This revolving door between public authorities and commercial operators raises serious concerns about governance, animal welfare, and Mauritius' compliance with its international obligations.

NOTES:

Article IV of the CITES Convention: An export permit shall only be granted when the following conditions have been met: (a) a Scientific Authority of the State of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species; (b) a Management Authority of the State of export is satisfied that the specimen was not obtained in contravention of the laws of that State for the protection of fauna and flora; and (c) a Management Authority of the State of export is satisfied that any living specimen will be so prepared and shipped as to minimize the risk of injury, damage to health or cruel treatment... (https://cites.org/eng/disc/text.php)

The obligation under clause (a) (an export permit shall only be granted when a Scientific Authority of the State of export has advised that such export will not be detrimental to the survival of that species) involves establishing a quota and providing an explanation of the scientific basis by which it was determined that the quota would not be detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild. This is known as Non-Detrimental Findings or NDFs.

NDFs are required by the Convention for any export of a CITES-listed species, regardless whether the population is native or introduced. An NDF usually involves population surveys. No population census on wild long-tailed macaques, however, has been carried out in Mauritius since the 1980s. If there are no recent population surveys, the Mauritius authorities cannot conclude that the export trade does not have an impact. Wild long-tailed macaques are also captured by macaque farms for breeding purposes, which has a further impact on the population.