Table 1 
Major Uses of Essential Primate Species Required 
by U.S. Biomedicai Activities* 
Species 
Number 
Required 
Annuaily 
Major Uses 
Macaca mulatta 
(rhesus monkey) 
14,000 
General purpose, production and 
testing of biological products, vaccines 
such as poliomyelitis 
M. fascicularis 
(cynomolgus) 
6,000 
General purpose, drug safety testing 
Other macaque 
1,000 
Neuroscience, behavioral studies, many 
other research areas 
Saguinus spp. 
(marmosets or tamarins) 
2,200 
Hepatitis research, viral oncology, 
immunology, reproductive physiology 
Callithrix jacchus 
(common marmoset) 
200 
General research, reproductive physiology, 
teratology, drug safety testing 
Aotus trivirgatus 
(owl monkey) 
1,500 
Malaria chemotherapy, immunology 
studies, vision research 
Pan troglodytes 
(common chimpanzee) 
180 
Hepatitis research, psychobiology 
Hylobates lar 
(white-handed gibbon) 
100 
Cancer viruses, hepatitis B research, 
behavioral studies 
Papio spp. 
(baboons) 
1,300 
General purpose, experimental surgery, 
reproductive physiology research 
Cercopithecus aethiops 
(African green monkey) 
2,100 
Production of biological material, 
toxicology testing 
Saimiri sciureus 
(squirrel monkey) 
4,500 
General research, drug testing, nutrition, 
cardiovascular research 
Other primate species 
1,000 
Biomedical research in general, many 
specific applications 
’This table consists of agency estimates based on historical usage and availability in 1977. Future usage patterns will be affected 
by availability and/or the determination that certain species are better for particular needs. 
3 
