Why China wants 1 lakh monkeys from Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan government has received a proposal from a private Chinese company for import of 1,00,000 endangered monkeys from the cash-strapped island nation, sparking protests from environmental groups. The island nation has appointed a committee to evaluate the proposal to export 100,000 toque macaques, found only in Sri Lanka, to be displayed in zoos in China, Cabinet Spokesperson and Transport Minister Bandula Gunawardana said.

The toque macaque monkey is endemic to Sri Lanka and classified as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) red list.

Conservationists warned that monkeys could be headed to labs rather than zoos, even if it earns some scarce dollars for Sri Lanka which is facing its worst economic crisis in more than seven decades.


In a joint statement four environmental groups, said that "the Government of Sri Lanka is planning to capture, confine and sell 100.000 Toque Macaques to China - allegedly for display in its Zoos! However, as per the accepted definition of a zoo, China has just 18. The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating effect on China's trade in wild species for medical tests, particularly on drugs and cosmetics. Macaques have been especially popular for this."

Authorities in Sri Lanka have pegged the monkey population in the country between two to three million. The toque macaque is known to destroy crops in several parts of Sri Lanka. The country has removed several species from its protected list this year, including all three of its monkey species as well as peacocks and wild boars, allowing farmers to kill them.

"Would it not be better for qualified researchers and scientists to study the problem, to find sustainable, long-term, solutions for it, rather than besmirching the cultural heritage of this Nation, in pursuit of ‘blood money?" the four environmental groups said.

One of the group, RARE Sri Lanka, separately said: "If this plan goes through, not only will this species endemic to Sri Lanka suffer in a strange country there will be great physical and mental abuse and harm to the monkeys during capture and transport."