Monkey Smuggling

Thai authorities rescue wild macaques smuggled in pickup truck
May 21st 2021 - Thai wildlife authorities said on Saturday they had rescued over 100 long-tailed macaques that were being illegally smuggled in the back of a pickup truck, but more than a dozen did not survive. WDT had received a tip of about shipments of trafficked Monkeys being trafficked!
The truck was intercepted on Thursday at a checkpoint while on its way to a Thai province bordering Cambodia, transporting 102 macaques in blue mesh bags which were stashed together in various plastic baskets.
The monkeys could be seen struggling and gasping for air when authorities found them, according to video footage by the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP).
The driver told local media that he was hired for 3,000 baht ($96) to drive the truck to the border and that he was not aware there were monkeys in the back of the vehicle.
The driver of the truck is being detained by authorities for wildlife smuggling!

Thank you to the rescue team of Sawang Bam Pen Dhamma Sathan, Prachantakham District,
who helped lead the way and brought the confiscated monkeys to us quickly and safely for immediate medical attention.
Thank you, Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation.

Thai veterinarians have set up a field hospital, equipped to treat 80 of the macaques.
Four were in critical condition while 18 did not survive, authorities said. Some of the monkeys were pregnant!
The monkeys were exhausted and dehydrated for a long time.
Some of them had respiratory problems because of overcrowding during the smuggling operation,
the department's head vet Pattarapol Maneeon stated!

All remaining macaques monkeys have been delivered and released into compounds at
the Wildlife Rescue Center in Nakhon Nayok Province.

Youtube: Monkeys rescued from trafficking in Thailand