Why are monkeys poached?

Wild monkeys on the mainland have been under pressure from human activity for hundreds of years. Emperors during the Qing dynasty were partial to scooping out the brain of a living monkey for a tasty treat, and the practice continues to this day, particularly in some southern provinces. read more

Monkeys also have played a role in traditional Chinese medicine, which maintains that the meat, bones and livers of monkeys have various curative effects, ranging from detoxification to improving sex drive. State-owned medicine companies buy about 2 tonnes of monkey bones a year, taken from at least 1,500 primates. read more