A new study reveals the alarming extent of the open primate trade on major social networks in the United States.
The report, “Primates for Purchase: The Surge in Sales on Social Media in the US,” was published today by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
Over a six-week period in mid-2025, researchers identified over 1,600 primates for sale on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, many of which were advertised through simple searches such as “monkey rehoming” or “adoption.” Many of the species involved are threatened with extinction in the wild.
On the studied ads, sellers regularly disguised these transactions by presenting the purchase of primates as rescue operations, when in reality, it was the trade of wild species to become pets. This strategy allows them to be visible while evading platform restrictions on the sale of live wild animals.
Social media users offer a wide variety of species, including macaques, capuchins, spider monkeys, marmosets, lemurs, galagos, and many chimpanzees. Macaques are by far the most represented, with hundreds of young individuals and infants featured in the ads.
“The ease with which primates are bought and sold online should serve as a warning signal. These are complex wild animals with a long lifespan, not pets. This growing digital market fuels demand and causes animal suffering. It also puts pressure on zoos and sanctuaries that have to care for confiscated animals, often for the rest of their lives, as most primates seized cannot be reintroduced into the wild,” said Sara Walker, senior wildlife trafficking advisor at AZA.
“Buying a primate online is not just about an animal: it involves poaching, loss of future generations, and the dangerous myth that primates make good pets. An apparently harmless purchase is often the last link in a well-organized criminal chain that compromises wild populations. This trade is neither safe nor legal. Let’s give federal and state law enforcement agencies the cybercrime specialists and funding needed to combat this insidious activity,” said Crawford Allan, VP of WWF for crimes against nature and policy advocacy.
The study revealed that 1,131 online posts from 122 social media users promoted the sale of 1,614 live primates. Twelve primate taxons were represented, including macaques, capuchins, marmosets, spider monkeys, tamarins, vervets, lemurs, galagos, chimpanzees, howler monkeys, and night monkeys. The most offered species for sale during the study period were macaques (839 individuals), followed by marmosets (293) and capuchins (275). Prices varied greatly, ranging from $250 to $6,500, depending on the species, age, and rarity.
The study is based on online monitoring, interviews with experts, media analysis, and collaboration with major tech companies. It reveals a thriving digital trade that poses serious risks to wildlife conservation, public health, and ecosystem stability.
More than 75% of primate species worldwide are threatened with extinction, and the study highlights that a significant number of primates sold online are very young individuals, often torn from their mothers in the wild. Buyers are misled into believing that young primates will bond more easily with humans. Unfortunately, many suffer trauma for life or die before reaching the buyer due to brutal and dangerous smuggling conditions.
Wildlife trafficking, estimated at $23 billion, is regularly ranked among the top five black markets globally, alongside drugs, firearms, and human trafficking. Primates are increasingly smuggled into the U.S., notably through the Mexican border. Inconsistent or inadequate legislation makes primate trafficking a “low-risk, high-reward” criminal activity.
Ed Newcomer, former special agent of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said, “Wild primates are the last victims of a mix of desire, ignorance, and calculated greed. This report sheds light on the growing extent of primate trafficking in the United States. It is time to act to prevent the disappearance of iconic species and protect the public from the diseases and injuries primates can cause.”
The report warns that without urgent action, the increasing visibility and ease of access to primates for sale online will continue to fuel demand, harm endangered species, increase health risks, and burden zoos and sanctuaries caring for confiscated animals.
The main recommendations of the report are to strengthen U.S. federal legislation, notably through the adoption of the Captive Primate Safety Act; encourage the public not to buy primates or engage with content depicting them as pets to reduce demand; report primate sale ads using platform reporting tools; integrate online wildlife trade detection strategies into law enforcement training; include all primate species in social media platform prohibited content policies, and integrate search keywords and bypass tactics into automated detection systems.
