A booming online trade in primates across the United States is raising alarm among wildlife experts, conservationists, and law enforcement agencies, after a new report revealed that thousands of monkeys and other primates are being openly advertised for sale on major social media platforms.

The report, Primates for Purchase: The Surge in Sales on Social Media in the US, was jointly released by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, International Fund for Animal Welfare and World Wildlife Fund. It is the first study focused exclusively on the United States to examine the sale of primates through social media networks.

Researchers documented more than 1,600 live primates advertised online during a six-week monitoring period in mid-2025. The animals were listed across widely used platforms including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, often through simple search terms such as “monkey adoption” or “rehoming.”

The findings suggest that the online wildlife trade has become increasingly sophisticated, with sellers disguising commercial transactions as rescue or adoption efforts to evade platform restrictions on wildlife sales.

According to the report, 1,131 online posts from 122 separate social media accounts advertised at least 1,614 individual primates for sale. Twelve different primate groups were identified, including macaques, capuchins, marmosets, spider monkeys, tamarins, squirrel monkeys, lemurs, bush babies, chimpanzees, owl monkeys, vervets, and howler monkeys.

Macaques accounted for the largest share of the trade, with 839 individuals listed, followed by marmosets and capuchins. Prices ranged from around $250 to as much as $6,500 depending on species, age, and rarity.

Researchers said many of the animals advertised online are species already threatened with extinction in the wild.

Wildlife experts warned that the growing visibility of primates on social media risks normalizing the ownership of exotic animals while fueling international trafficking networks.

Sara Walker, senior advisor on wildlife trafficking at the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, described the findings as deeply concerning.

“The ease with which primates are being bought and sold online should be a wake-up call,” Walker said. “These are complex, long-lived wild animals—not pets.”

She noted that the trade also places mounting pressure on zoos and wildlife sanctuaries that are often left to care for confiscated animals for decades because most seized primates cannot be released back into the wild.

The report highlights how social media has transformed the illegal wildlife trade by making exotic animals accessible to virtually anyone with a smartphone and internet connection.

Danielle Kessler, US Country Director of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, warned that many buyers are unaware they may be contributing to organized wildlife crime.

“All you need is a phone and a social media account to buy a primate in the US,” Kessler said. “This is an industry that thrives on clicks, cash and cruelty.”

Conservation groups say the trade has devastating consequences for wild primate populations. Nearly 75 percent of the world’s primate species are already threatened with extinction due to habitat destruction, hunting, and illegal wildlife trafficking.

The study found that many of the primates offered online were infants or juveniles, animals that are often taken from the wild after their mothers are killed. Buyers are frequently misled into believing young primates are easier to tame and bond with humans.

Experts say many infant primates die before reaching buyers because of stress, poor care, and dangerous smuggling conditions.

Crawford Allan of the World Wildlife Fund said the purchase of pet primates contributes directly to the destruction of wild populations.

“Buying a primate online isn’t just about one animal—it fuels the killing of mothers and the loss of future generations,” Allan said.

Wildlife trafficking remains one of the world’s most profitable illegal industries, estimated to generate around $23 billion annually. It ranks alongside drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and human trafficking as one of the largest transnational black markets.

The report noted that primates are increasingly being smuggled into the United States, including across the Mexican border, while inconsistent laws and weak enforcement continue to make trafficking a relatively low-risk criminal activity.

Former United States Fish and Wildlife Service special agent Ed Newcomer warned that the trade poses risks not only to wildlife but also to public safety and health.

“Wild primates are just the latest wild animal put at risk by a combination of ignorant desire and calculated greed,” Newcomer said. He added that primates can transmit dangerous diseases and cause serious injuries when kept as pets.

The report calls for urgent action from lawmakers, technology companies, and the public to curb the growing online trade.

Key recommendations include strengthening federal legislation through measures such as the Captive Primate Safety Act, improving wildlife cybercrime training for law enforcement agencies, and requiring social media companies to strengthen automated detection systems for illegal wildlife sales.

Researchers also urged the public not to purchase primates or engage with viral “pet monkey” content online, warning that such interactions help drive demand and sustain trafficking networks.

Conservationists say without swift intervention, social media will continue to accelerate the exploitation of endangered primates while deepening the global wildlife trafficking crisis.