Although the crab monkey export issue is controversial and a high-ranking official was arrested by US authorities and taken to court, Cambodia was able to continue exporting the animals until the end of the year due to demand.
Mongabay, an independent, non-profit media organization that regularly reports on natural resources, wildlife, and environmental science, reported and confirmed the legality of Cambodia’s crab monkey trade.
The same source claimed that CITES, also known as the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, rejected Cambodia’s request to suspend the export of monkeys. .
CITES has said that exports of Cambodian macaques will remain legal until November 2025. CITES has not decided to suspend such exports because of scientific and laboratory needs in Japan, China, Canada, the United States and other countries. Some countries, such as Canada, have expressed confidence in Cambodia’s compliance with the export process for the species.
The CITES decision has caused some conservation groups to express disappointment, citing ongoing threats to wild monkeys, including hunting and habitat loss, and warning that the decision allows unsustainable trade practices in the face of evidence of wrongdoing.
The monkey crab trade is a sensitive issue for Cambodia internationally, as it is known to be worth up to half a billion dollars. According to research, the value of the monkey trade in 2023 was more than $516 million, with the United States and Japan spending the most on the monkey trade, with the United States spending about $122 million and Japan spending about $96 million.
Related to this case, a senior Cambodian official was arrested by US authorities at an international airport while he was transiting, detained, and sent to court. In an effort to protect Cambodia’s honor and protect the legality of the monkey trade, Cambodia also sought justice, and the United States also released the official to return to his homeland in 2024.
So far, because delegates from Canada, China, Poland, Kuwait, and the United States have all agreed to Cambodia’s request, the CITES Standing Committee has decided to remove Cambodia from the ban on the trade in monkeys until a new meeting will be held on November 24. Until December 5, 2025 in Uzbekistan.
