Poachers Kill Spider Monkeys for Sale to Americans on Social Media
Poachers in southern Mexico are brutally ripping baby spider monkeys from their mothers and smuggling them across the border to be sold as pets in the United States, fueled by viral social media videos. U.S. Fish and Wildlife agents have confiscated nearly 90 monkeys in the last 18 months, revealing the disturbing scope of this illegal trade, where mothers are killed, and babies are often crammed into tiny compartments without food or water. The animals are treated poorly, and the population is struggling to recover. Law enforcement faces challenges, and the confiscated monkeys are sent to zoos. The public is urged to avoid purchasing these animals to prevent the killing and smuggling of the endangered spider monkeys.
John Q. Hosedrinker