Why primates do not make good pets

The document outlines why primates are unsuitable as pets, noting that 94% of primate species are experiencing population declines and 69% are threatened with extinction. It highlights risks such as the spread of diseases like herpes B virus and monkeypox, as well as the ecological threat of invasive species, specifically citing established breeding populations of rhesus macaques and vervet monkeys in Florida. The text criticizes the current 'patchwork of regulation' in the US and urges support for the Captive Primate Safety Act to prohibit private possession and interstate commerce of primates.

• The demand for primates in the pet trade contributes to global population declines and extinction risks, with 94% of primate species seeing population decreases and 69% threatened with extinction.
• Primates pose significant public health and safety risks, including the transmission of life-threatening pathogens such as tuberculosis, monkeypox, and herpes B virus, and a tendency to become aggressive and unpredictable as adults.
• Nonnative primates can cause ecological damage if they escape or are released; in Florida, rhesus macaques and vervet monkeys have already established breeding populations.
• The United States lacks a comprehensive federal ban on private primate ownership, resulting in a 'patchwork of regulation' and legal loopholes that allow for interstate commerce and the deceptive sale of smuggled primates.
• The Captive Primate Safety Act (CPSA) is proposed as bipartisan federal legislation to end the private possession and interstate transport of all primate species to mitigate safety and conservation risks.

APA

WWF International (n.d.). Why primates do not make good pets. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/why-primates-do-not-make-good-pets/

Chicago

WWF International. Why primates do not make good pets. n.d. https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/why-primates-do-not-make-good-pets/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=WWF International |title=Why primates do not make good pets |url=https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/why-primates-do-not-make-good-pets/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{wwfinternationalndwhy, author = {{WWF International}}, title = {{Why primates do not make good pets}}, institution = {WWF International}, url = {https://www.worldwildlife.org/resources/explainers/why-primates-do-not-make-good-pets/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }