Saint Louis Zoo takes in Mexican spider monkeys rescued from smugglers

ST. LOUIS — A group of Mexican spider monkeys have a new home at the Saint Louis Zoo after being rescued from illegal trade.

Monday, the zoo said four of the endangered animals were seized by federal authorities in spring 2024.

"Each was likely poached from the wild to be sold as an exotic pet, becoming a victim of a global criminal network that typically kills the infants’ mothers during capture," the zoo said in a press release.

“This has to stop. These monkeys remind us that the sale of primates as pets must end once and for all,” said Regina Mossotti, Vice President of Animal Care at the Saint Louis Zoo. “Buyers may not realize it, but the illegal wildlife industry causes incredible suffering to so many animals. It not only harms endangered species, it also puts their native habitat