The holiday island of Mauritius is known for its beautiful beaches, tropical climate, heritage sites and wildlife. The Ministry of Tourism is working hard to boost the island’s image as a green ethical tourist destination.

However, the international reputation of Mauritius as a holiday paradise is being overshadowed by its role as one of the world’s largest players in the cruel and controversial trade of supplying monkeys for experiments. In 2014, 8,991 monkeys were exported from the island, primarily to Europe and the USA.  

Did you know that tens of thousands of monkeys are held in farms across Mauritius?

Many of these individuals were captured from the wild on Mauritius and are imprisoned in these farms, used for breeding to produce babies who will be transported to laboratories around the world. Denied their freedom in the lush foliage of their jungle homes, they spend their lives behind bars on concrete.

The monkeys are shipped as cargo on airplanes in small wooden crates. In the laboratory, they may suffer the effects of poisoning after being forced to consume large quantities of chemicals or drugs in toxicity tests or face being subjected to major brain surgery, their skulls cut open and devices implanted into their brains.

This controversial trade, worth less than 2% of Mauritian export, is economically insignificant compared with the income that Mauritius receives from its tourism industry.

The Cruelty Free International Save Our Monkeys campaign is dedicated to ending this cruel exploitation of the Mauritius monkey population.

Find out more and take action to help save the monkeys of Mauritius.
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