5 Monkeys Found and Rescued From Wildlife Smugglers in Argentina
The trading of animals is big business in countries around the world. Wild animals like reptiles, birds, and monkeys are transported and sold as exotic pets, used in tourist attractions, and sadly, some are killed for their body parts. ABC News shared a video on Tuesday, April 9th about a story out of Argentina where 5 monkeys were rescued from alleged smugglers.
Law enforcement officers found five monkeys hidden under the passenger seat of a truck. The box that the tiny monkeys were found in was small and cramped. Stashed inside were four Capuchin and one Marikina monkeys. The officer handling them was very gentle with them, though it's clear that the monkeys were confused and afraid of the situation they were in.
ABC News reported that the monkeys were all taken to a nature reserve for recovery care. It is unknown where the monkeys were being taken or what the alleged smugglers were going to do with them, but I'm wondering if they were going to become someone's exotic pets. Fortunately, they all looked unharmed although a bit shaken up. Commenter @Kimberly Carico was upset by the story, "Those are babies. They steal then from the mothers, and both are grieving. It’s a horrible trade."
Related: 3 Rescued Baby Spider Monkeys Find a New Home at the San Diego Zoo
What Happens Next?
What happens to the monkeys next? Hopefully caretakers at the nature reserve found the rescued monkeys to be healthy and will be able to eventually return them to the wild. I wondered what happens to smuggled animals once they are recovered. I found an interesting article from National Geographic that explains the process.
Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), is the body that sets global wildlife trade policy. It's made up of 182 nations and the European Union. What's supposed to happen is that "nations must send confiscated animals back to the exporting country, or to a “government-designated rescue center,” or other places deemed “appropriate.” CITES also directs countries to ensure humane treatment of the animals." Unfortunately that doesn't always happen because, "it can be expensive or impractical to transport some wild animals back home and that some member nations don’t have designated rescue centers."
When authorities don't know what to do with the animals, they are often sent to places unable to care for the animals, released to the wild, sold, or are euthanized.
It's a sad money-making business, but it doesn't seem to be a high priority in many countries. These animals end up being lost in the shuffle of things and can end up living miserable lives. Over the years there has been more concern for this business since it affects not only the animals but also to shrinking species populations leading to extinction, as well as many other factors. The Dept. of Homeland Security shared an interesting article about those factors if you're interested in learning more.
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