B. There Now Exists a Severe and Long-Term Shortage of Primates. 
In recent years the destruction of primate habitats and embargos on the 
exportation of primates from countries of origin have decreased the 
supply of these animals at an alarming and accelerated rate. The rapid 
expansion of human populations and economic development in many tropical 
countries often leads to the destruction of forests for lumber or agriculture. 
This, in turn, has drastically reduced some indigenous primate populations. 
Primates come primarily from developing nations, where there has been an 
increasing concern about the depletion of natural resources. Many of 
these countries have taken steps to conserve their fauna and flora by 
imposing restrictions on exportation. An important example is the 
Indian government controls on export of rhesus monkeys ( Macaca mulatta ). 
Historically, the rhesus has been the most important and widely used 
primate in health programs. In 1973, the Government of India reduced 
the annual exportation of this species from a previous worldwide total 
of 50,000 animals to 30,000, and a year later reduced this number to 
20,000. Importation by the United States during this time was reduced 
by 50 percent - from 24,000 animals annually to the 1977 level of about 
12,000 animals. Effective April 1, 1978, the Government of India banned 
all further exports of primates. 
Also essential in biomedical research are certain New World primates. 
These include several tamarin species ( Saguinus spp .), the common mar¬ 
moset, ( Callithrix jacchus ), squirrel monkeys ( Saimirl sciureus ), and 
owl monkeys ( Aotus trlvlrgatus ). Export restrictions imposed by Brazil, 
Colombia, and Peru have made it very difficult to obtain these animals. 
In 1972, some 6,000 squirrel monkeys from the Amazon basin were imported 
into the United States for research purposes at a price of $30 each. 
Currently a subspecies from a different geographic area is available at 
a price of $175 each. Certain marmoset species, urgently needed in 
hepatitis and cancer research, and the owl monkey, for malaria and 
vision research, are virtually impossible to obtain commercially. 
In November 1976, international action was taken placing all nonhuman 
primates in either appendix I or II of the Convention on International 
Trade in Endangered Species. In practical terms, this means that both 
exporting and importing countries are required to approve international 
shipments of primates, and, as a minimum requirement, the exporting 
country must, in every instance, issue a certificate that shipment of 
the animals will not be detrimental to the survival of the species in 
the wild. The purpose of this control is commendable, and the procedure 
is necessary for species that are truly endangered. It could, however, 
cause uncertainties and unnecessary delays in procurement, even of 
species that are relatively abundant. 
An assessment of the availability of the major primate species is presented 
in table 2. A more comprehensive discussion of the status of foreign 
supplies is presented in appendix B. 
4 
