Missouri ranks high in primate ownership. Here’s why experts warn against it

Purchasing a pet monkey or ape in Missouri is easy. Animal rights advocates say it can be unsafe for both pet and owner.

The plight of four new spider monkeys at the St. Louis Zoo is shining a light on the illegal wildlife trade and the lack of regulation surrounding pet monkey and ape sales and ownership in Missouri — a state where at least 35 to 50 primates are sold each year.

By extrapolating from a 2019 study of primate sales in the U.S. , Joseph DaVault of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation said there may be as many as 400 to 1,000 pet primates in the state.

"There are so many different primates in the relatively small state of Missouri," he said. "Per capita, we have a lot more than the average person might expect."

There is no federal law against private owners