Report: US social media primate sales surge risks trafficking, safety

A new report from major wildlife and conservation groups has documented a sharp increase in the online sale of primates across leading social media platforms in the United States, highlighting concerns over wildlife trafficking, public safety and animal welfare.

The report, titled “Primates for Purchase: The Surge in Sales on Social Media in the US,” was released Tuesday by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

Researchers monitored activity over a six-week period in mid-2025 and identified more than 1,600 primates listed for sale on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Many listings were easily found through searches using terms such as “monkey rehoming” or “adoption,” despite platform restrictions on wildlife sales.

Sellers frequently disguised commercial transactions as rescue or rehoming efforts, allowing listings to remain publicly visible while avoiding detection, according to the report.

The study documented 1,131 online posts from 122 social media users advertising 1,614 live primates for sale. Twelve primate taxa were identified, including macaques, capuchins, marmosets, spider monkeys, tamarins, squirrel monkeys, vervets, lemurs, bush babies, chimpanzees, howler monkeys and owl monkeys.

Macaques accounted for the largest number of listings, with 839 individuals identified, followed by marmosets at 293 and capuchins at 275. Prices ranged from $250 to $6,500 depending on species, age and rarity.

Researchers said many of the animals advertised online were infants and juveniles. The report notes that infant primates are often taken from their mothers in the wild because buyers are led to believe younger animals will bond more easily with humans. Many animals suffer severe trauma or die during smuggling operations before reaching buyers.

About 60% of the world’s primate species are threatened with extinction, and roughly 75% have declining populations largely from habitat loss driven by human activities such as industrial agriculture, logging and hunting.

“The ease with which primates are being bought and sold online should be a wake-up call,” Sara Walker, senior adviser on wildlife trafficking at AZA, said in a statement. “These are complex, long-lived wild animals – not pets – and this growing digital marketplace is fueling demand, causing animals to suffer. This also increases pressure on zoos and sanctuaries that must care for confiscated wildlife – often for the rest of their lives, since most confiscated primates cannot be returned to the wild.”

Wildlife trafficking is estimated to be part of a global illicit trade worth about $23bn annually and is considered one of the world’s largest hidden markets alongside drugs, firearms and human trafficking. According to the report, primates are increasingly being smuggled into the US, including across the Mexican border, while inconsistent laws continue to make trafficking a “low-risk, high-reward” criminal enterprise.

Ed Newcomer, former special agent for the US Fish and Wildlife Service, said in a statement: “Wild primates are just the latest wild animal put at risk by a combination of ignorant desire and calculated greed. This report highlights the growing problem of primate trafficking in the United States. Now is the time for action to prevent the demise of iconic wild species and to keep the public safe from the diseases and injuries primates can cause.”

Experts warn that growing visibility and accessibility of primates online could continue to drive demand unless stronger enforcement and policy measures are introduced, such as strengthening federal laws and improving reporting tools for wildlife sales on social media platforms.