Primates for purchase - The surge in sales on social media in the US

Primates are being openly advertised for sale across social media platforms in the United States, often disguised as “rehoming” or “adoption” posts. Developed by AZA, IFAW, and WWF, this report explores how the online primate trade continues to thrive despite existing wildlife protections, exposing serious risks to animal welfare, biodiversity, public health, and enforcement systems. In just six weeks, researchers identified more than 1,130 posts offering at least 1,600 live primates for sale online, including macaques, capuchins, marmosets, and spider monkeys.

The findings reveal how fragmented laws, inconsistent enforcement, online platform loopholes, and the normalization of primates as pets are helping fuel demand for wildlife exploitation. Alongside documenting the scale of the trade, the report outlines practical recommendations for policymakers, enforcement agencies, digital platforms, and the public to help reduce demand, strengthen protections for primates, and improve responses to wildlife trafficking and confiscation.