Groundbreaking review on long-tailed macaque conservation status published in highly respected scientific journal

WASHINGTON – A scientific review published Thursday in the American Journal of Primatology disputes information used to determine a faulty conservation status of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) the International Union for Conservation of Nature issued.  

The review, authored by Dr. Ray Hilborn and Dr. David Smith, concludes that “none of the published literature cited to support the IUCN listing [long-tailed macaques] as endangered presents any data to support the hypothesized decline, nor does the literature establish that the species is at risk of becoming extinct.”

Long-tailed macaques are the most widely accepted non-rodent species for drug development as well as for drug safety and efficacy testing. They are also extensively studied for cancer research, immunology science, regenerative medicine and genetic disease research.

“The latest article published in the American Journal of Primatology today demonstrates that long-tailed macaques are not an endangered species, but rather a highly invasive one that thrives both in wild and humanized habitats in the majority of countries where they live,” stated National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR) President Matthew R. Bailey.

The IUCN designated long-tailed macaques as “vulnerable” prior to July 2022. In 2022, the IUCN revised its designation to “endangered” based upon a scientific review Hansen et al. (2022) published. This new IUCN designation is the subject of a petition NABR filed to dispute it.

Long-tailed macaques are considered an invasive species in many countries including Hong Kong, Indonesia, Mauritius, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. For decades, Asian and African countries have bred specific pathogen free long-tailed macaques and exported them to the United States and other countries for biomedical research in laboratories.  

“We should all be seriously concerned with the misuse and misrepresentation of scientific data noted in this article, particularly given the importance of long-tailed macaques to ongoing biomedical research in the United States,” stated Mr. Bailey.

More information about the article and NABR’s IUCN petition is available online at www.nabr.org.  

About the National Association for Biomedical Research

Founded in 1979, the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR) is the only 501(c)(6) nonprofit association dedicated to sound public policy for the humane use of animals in biomedical research, education, and testing. Members include more than 340 universities, medical and veterinary schools, teaching hospitals, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, patient groups, and academic and professional societies who rely on humane and responsible animal research to advance global human and animal health. Learn more about us at www.nabr.org.