Wild Primate Welfare Beyond Chimpanzees

Welfare considerations for the broader diversity of wild primates, covering the welfare impacts of habitat destruction, illegal trade, research use, and bushmeat hunting across species.

Key Facts

Over 60% of non-human primate species are now threatened with extinction — the highest proportion of any mammal order
Slow lorises are sold as pets across social media platforms despite being venomous, highly stressed by handling, and CITES Appendix I protected
Bushmeat hunting affects all major primate groups in Central and West Africa — millions of primates are killed annually
Macaque monkeys are used in biomedical research in numbers exceeding all other non-human primates combined
Orangutan habitat has been reduced by over 80% in the past 20 years from palm oil expansion
Bonobo populations are concentrated in a single country (DRC) — political instability creates extreme conservation vulnerability
Howler monkeys in Latin America are heavily affected by power line electrocution in forest fragments with inadequate utility infrastructure
Gelada baboons face unique welfare threats from Ethiopian highland agricultural expansion that conflicts with their grazing lifestyle

Welfare Considerations

Primate welfare encompasses an extraordinary diversity of species, ecological contexts, and human-caused threats, but unites around one clear principle: these animals have cognitive and emotional complexity that creates rich potential for suffering across multiple dimensions. Beyond chimpanzees and gorillas, dozens of primate species face severe welfare impacts from habitat destruction, illegal trade, research use, and human-wildlife conflict. Slow lorises represent one of the most visible illegal trade welfare crises: these nocturnal prosimians are captured, have their teeth removed to prevent venomous bites, and are sold as pets through social media, dying at extraordinary rates from the stress of handling, incorrect diet, and inappropriate temperature management. Macaque research use affects millions of animals annually in conditions that range from adequate to severely welfare-compromising. The welfare case for protecting wild primates converges completely with the conservation case — protecting habitat, reducing illegal trade, improving research standards, and reducing human-wildlife conflict all simultaneously serve welfare and conservation objectives.

What You Can Do

Never purchase or support the purchase of wild primates as pets — illegal trade in all countries and causes severe suffering
Report slow loris and other primate videos showing apparent pet keeping to social media platforms and wildlife authorities
Avoid palm oil products not certified by RSPO — palm oil expansion is the primary driver of orangutan and primate habitat loss
Support Ape Alliance and TRAFFIC organizations working to combat primate trafficking and bushmeat trade
Learn about alternatives to macaque use in biomedical research and support organizations promoting these alternatives
Donate to Bonobo Conservation Initiative working in one of the most politically vulnerable conservation contexts in the world