Chain of Suffering

Location:
Indonesia
Uncovered:
the shocking trade in monkeys that violates international animal welfare guidelines and breaches Indonesia's own legislation.

The fate of Indonesian monkeys in the research laboratory

The following are examples from the USA and Japan of experiments carried out with monkeys imported from Indonesia:

Wake Forest University in North Carolina, USA:

Many of the experiments involved alcohol (ethanol) consumption and its effect on the monkeys' body or behavior. This was often combined with the surgical mutilation of female monkeys - the removal of their ovaries - or deliberately feeding the animals a diet that would cause atherosclerosis. Other experiments focused on the effects of dietary modulation on monkeys who were fed a diet causing atherosclerosis. In most of these cases, the situations were supposed to mimic dietary life-style of Americans. In some of the studies, all the animals were killed (or died) as part of the experiment.

Ninety-five male monkeys were obtained from the Primate Research Center, Bogor, Indonesia. About 20% of them died due to "chronic diarrhea" before the experiment even began. An additional sixteen monkeys had to be imported from Indonesia. The monkeys were fed an atherogenic diet (designed to cause atherosclerosis or plaque to build up in blood vessels) which included lard, butter and beef tallow. They were also forced to run on a motorized wheel for up to 30 minutes at a time. As part of the experiment, they were housed in a way to deliberately cause an unstable social situation, which is known to exacerbate the atherosclerosis. All the monkeys were killed as part of the experiment.

Fifty-one adult female monkeys were subjected to major abdominal surgery to remove their ovaries. They were then given a diet that was designed to cause atherosclerosis. During part of this time, they were given alcohol. Although most drank voluntarily once "trained", nine animals had to be restrained and forced to swallow the alcohol. Three animals died during the experiment and 48 animals were killed.

Thirty-six adult female monkeys were subjected to major abdominal surgery to remove their ovaries. They were then fed a diet designed to cause atherosclerosis and housed in a way to deliberately cause stress and depression (small steel cages, with no way to get away from dominant individuals). Over one-half of those individuals who became depressed died (nine deaths). A cause for death was not always found, but included trauma, death after sedation and metabolic illness.

After desperately trying to escape, this trapped scared and bewildered monkey awaits his fate. Wild caught monkeys were apparently sold for as little as $2 US each. Indonesia continues to allow indigenous wild populations of macaques, such as these, to be plundered from its rainforests for the research industry. The Macaca fascicularis or long-tailed macaque is widespread throughout Southeast Asia. The species can live in a range of habitats, but prefers forested areas near water, including mangrove and swamp forests. This macaque was living freely in the jungles of Indonesia. Long-tailed and pig-tailed macaques are classified as Appendix II under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Threats to their survival include habitat destruction, hunting and persecution as a pest. Any trade in these primates for the research, industry will further exacerbate these losses. The BUAV investigation has uncovered the cruelty and suffering inflicted on macaques during their capture, confinement and transportation in Indonesia. At the Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB) in Indonesia, young monkeys were housed in these barren metal cages, totally inappropriate for their needs. Primates require a complex, stimulating environment for their psychological well-being At one primate supply company, monkeys were kept in small pens with smooth walls and floor. The monkeys had no place to climb or hide and could only hang from the ceiling by their limbs. This would be stressful for them in addition to the stress experienced as a result of captivity and confinement. At Jakarta airport, BUAV investigators found monkeys kept in these stark conditions prior to being exported overseas to be used in experiments. Every year thousands of monkeys from Indonesia are exported around the world to countries such as the USA, Japan and China where they will suffer and probably die in research laboratories The BUAV investigation uncovered the misuse of important CITES codes that define the source of primates. Consequently wild primates such as these who are living and breeding freely in a natural environment are designated as captive-bred animals and exported for the international research industry. Wild-caught monkeys destined for the research industry were transported across Indonesia in these dilapidated wooden and wire crates. These crates were piled on top of each other in the back of an open truck. Snatched from the wild, these monkeys were crammed into small, make-shift wooden crates and transported from the trapping site. This method of transportation was carried out in a cruel way that would inflict further suffering on wild animals who were already stressed and bewildered by being removed from their homes and family groups. Wild monkeys were caught in bamboo traps like this one. The trap is primed with fruit such as bananas. As the monkey pulls on the bananas, the bamboo frame collapses trapping the monkeys inside. After capture, wild monkeys were held in cramped small wooden crates at dealers' premises. Such conditions would be extremely stressful for the monkeys and likely to cause ill health, injuries and even death.

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