Skip to main content

Investigation Reveals Trafficking of Endangered Spider Monkeys for Social Media Fame

Inside EditionNovember 5, 20254 min399,442 views
2 connections·3 entities in this video→

The Rise of Spider Monkeys as Exotic Pets

  • πŸ’ Spider monkeys, often seen in cute outfits on social media, are becoming a popular, yet endangered, exotic pet.
  • πŸ’‘ Social media trends are fueling a demand for these jungle creatures, leading to their capture and sale.

The Brutal Journey from Wild to Black Market

  • πŸ’” To meet demand, poachers are capturing spider monkeys in the wild, often slaughtering their mothers in the process.
  • ⚠️ The young monkeys endure cruel conditions during smuggling, including being drugged and taped up in bags.
  • πŸ“ˆ Brokers sell these trafficked animals on the black market for significant profits.

Undercover Investigation in Texas

  • πŸ•΅οΈβ€β™€οΈ An Inside Edition investigation went undercover, meeting sellers advertising baby spider monkeys on TikTok in Texas parking lots.
  • πŸ’° One seller, calling himself 'Max', offered a 2-month-old female for $6,500 cash.
  • πŸ’¬ Another seller, Rebecca, offered females for $6,500 and males for $6,000, providing bottle-feeding instructions.
  • 🚫 Both sellers refused to disclose where they obtained the monkeys and drove off when identified as press.

Official Confiscations and Expert Concerns

  • 🚨 US Fish and Wildlife Service has confiscated 109 baby spider monkeys at the Texas-Mexico border in the last two years, though this is believed to be a fraction of those smuggled.
  • 🩺 Special Agent Jim Steinbach described confiscated monkeys as deprived of water, food, and medical attention.
  • ⚠️ Wildlife experts emphasize that spider monkeys are wild animals, not suitable pets, and can become difficult, messy, and expensive to care for over their 50-year lifespan.
  • πŸ—£οΈ Both individuals encountered later claimed they were rehoming, not selling, the monkeys.
Knowledge graph3 entities Β· 2 connections

How they connect

An interactive map of every person, idea, and reference from this conversation. Hover to trace connections, click to explore.

Hover Β· drag to explore
3 entities
Chapters1 moments

Key Moments

Transcript18 segments

Full Transcript

Topics12 themes

What’s Discussed

Spider MonkeysEndangered SpeciesAnimal TraffickingSocial Media TrendsExotic PetsBlack MarketPoachingAnimal WelfareUndercover InvestigationUS Fish and Wildlife ServiceTexasTikTok
Smart Objects3 Β· 2 links
PeopleΒ· 2
CompanyΒ· 1