Mandrills, the world's largest monkey, face significant hunting pressure for bushmeat in Central Africa, with welfare harm from snares and live capture for trade.
Mandrills caught in wire snares suffer acute limb injuries and infection before death or rescue. Large social group structure means poaching events can simultaneously kill multiple group members. Orphaned young mandrills require years of intensive care in sanctuaries. The species' complex social intelligence makes captivity psychologically demanding. Community education and alternative livelihood programmes in forest communities reduce hunting pressure more sustainably than enforcement alone.