U.S. primate import statistics for 2013

After four straight years of decline, the number of primates imported into the U.S. unfortunately increased by 8.5 percent over last year’s figure, according to preliminary data IPPL has been able to obtain from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Last year, according to revised data we received on April 8, 2013, the U.S. imported 17,448 primates. In 2013, the U.S. officially imported 18,934 apes and monkeys—1,486 more than in 2012.

 

Species imported

Over 90 percent of the imported primates were crab-eating (a.k.a. long-tailed) macaque monkeys. They are widely used in the U.S. for toxicology testing and biomedical experiments. Year after year, this species tops the list of primate imports. As IPPL Executive Director Shirley McGreal noticed, “The pig-tailed macaque, once touted as THE model for AIDS research, has fallen out of favor, to the extent that none were imported in 2013.”

Only four apes (two gorillas and two siamangs) were brought in. The gorillas were transferred between zoos (Calgary to Dallas). The two siamangs were imported from the Dortmund Zoo in Germany to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park, near Wichita, Kansas. This facility is not currently accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Siamangs are native to Southeast Asia; I wonder how they are enjoying winter in the American Midwest?

Common Name	Scientific Name	Number	Percent
crab-eating macaque	Macaca fascicularis	17,301	91.38
rhesus macaque	Macaca mulatta	1,255	6.63
common squirrel monkey	Saimiri sciureus	172	0.91
common marmoset	Callithrix jacchus	80	0.42
green monkey	Chlorocebus sabaeus	46	0.24
vervet monkey	Chlorocebus pygerythrus	16	0.08
tufted capuchin	Cebus apella	16	0.08
black howler	Alouatta caraya	10	0.05
red-tailed monkey	Cercopithecus ascanius	9	0.05
mantled guereza	Colobus guereza	9	0.05
black-crested mangabey	Lophocebus aterrimus	5	0.03
gelada	Theropithecus gelada	5	0.03
Wolf’s mona monkey	Cercopithecus wolfi	4	0.02
western gorilla	Gorilla gorilla	2	0.01
weeper capuchin	Cebus olivaceus	2	0.01
siamang	Symphalangus syndactylus	2	0.01
TOTAL		18,934	100

 

Primary countries of origin

China was again the single largest supplier of imported primates, a perennial source of surprise, since their chief export, the long-tailed macaque, is not native to China. Shirley points out that Indonesia and St. Kitts, both of which exported some hundreds of monkeys to the U.S. in 2012, did not send us any this past year. Another interesting absence: Laos, which has been setting up monkey capture and breeding centers; however, no monkeys reached us from Laos directly in 2013.

These countries supplied at least 100 primates to the U.S.

Country	Number	Percent
China	10,681	56.41
Mauritius	2,842	15.01
Cambodia	2,340	12.36
Vietnam	1,920	10.14
Guyana	189	1.00

 

Source of the animals

The reported number of wild-caught primates seems oddly low, and is likely not accurate. Similarly, says, Shirley, it is impossible to determine whether the number of “F1” animals (born in captivity to wild mothers) is true—or, for that matter, the number of captive bred animals.

Source	Number	Percent
Wild caught	433	2.29
Born in captivity (F1+ generations)	6,543	34.56
Captive bred	11,958	63.16

 

Primary ports of entry

These ports accepted at least 100 incoming primates each.

Port	Number	Percent
Chicago, IL	10,681	56.41
Houston, TX	5,580	29.47
Los Angeles, CA	1,381	7.29
New York, NY	1,197	6.32

 

Primary U.S. importers

These research facilities brought in more 500 monkeys each. Together, they accounted for 93 percent of all U.S. primate imports.

U.S. Importer	Number
COVANCE RESEARCH PRODUCTS, INC.	8,247
SNBL USA, LTD.	2,865
CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES, BRF	2,691
CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES, RM HOUSTON	2,490
BUCKSHIRE CORPORATION	626
CHARLES RIVER LABORATORIES	607

 

Primary foreign exporters

Each of these exporters sent the U.S. at least 500 monkeys.

Foreign Exporters	Number
GUANGXI WEMEI BIO-TECH CO. LTD.	3,600
HUAZHENG LABORATORY ANIMAL BREEDING CENTER	2,740
BIOCULTURE MAURITIUS LTD.	2,093
TIAN HU CAMBODIA ANIMAL BREEDING RESEARCH CENTER LTD.	1,820
KHI BIO SERVICES C/O NAFOVANNY (NAFOVANNY C/O KHI BIOSERVICES LTD)	1,440
GUANGDONG BLOOMING SPRING BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY	1,076
GUANGZHOU BLOOMING SPRING BIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT	860
NOVEPRIM LTD.	606
SUZHOU JINNUO IMPORT & EXPORT CO., LTD.	520

 

If you are interested in a complete copy of the 2013 data set, please contact the IPPL office (info@ippl.org).