Animal protection organisations internationally, have launched a campaign asking the Puerto Rican government to stop the construction of a major monkey farm following reports that the monkeys will be supplied to the international research industry; in particular the USA.

It is understood that the farm in Guayama City will be established using macaques (Macaca fascicularis) from the island of Mauritius.

Campaign groups include, the BUAV (British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection) the IPPL (International Primate Protection League), and PCRM (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine).

Primates are highly intelligent, social animals with complex behavioral and psychological needs which cannot be met in captivity. The cruelty and suffering involved in the international trade in primates for research has been well documented; in particular, the injuries and mortalities involved in the capture of monkeys from the wild and the stress and suffering involved in their confinement.

The USA is the world's largest user of primates in research and there has been a significant increase in the imports of long-tailed macaques in recent years from around 17,000 in 2004 to over 26,000 in 2008. Over 4,500 of these were imported from Mauritius.

The common fate of many primates in the research industry is to be used in toxicity testing which involves the forced ingestion, inhalation or injection of potentially lethal and poisonous chemicals. After years of this type of abuse, the animals are then killed.

Comment from IPPL, PCRM and BUAV:

"At a time when the ethics regarding the use of primates in research is being raised internationally, it is disheartening to learn that Puerto Rico is planning to allow itself to become a major player in the supply of primates for research. Such a move will not only result in the suffering of thousands of monkeys, it will also have a negative and detrimental impact on Puerto Rico's image abroad. We shall be calling on people throughout the world to write letters of protest to the Puerto Rican authorities. We urge the people of Puerto Rico to reject these proposals and refuse to allow their land to become associated with the cruelty and suffering inherent in the trade in primates for research."