CITES reports limited progress in Cambodia's monkey export industry reforms
Global wildlife trade authorities have expressed concern over Cambodia's lack of progress in reforming its monkey export industry. A report released by the CITES Secretariat on Oct. 5, 2026, indicates that the country has failed to provide sufficient evidence that it has implemented six key recommendations issued in 2025. These reforms were intended to address long-standing concerns regarding the laundering of wild-caught long-tailed macaques as captive-bred animals. The CITES Secretariat stated it cannot confirm or rule out fraud or corruption within the trade. Cambodian government spokesperson Khim Finan dismissed the report's findings as unproven and speculative. The issue is expected to be discussed at the upcoming CITES Standing Committee meeting in Geneva.
Key points
- CITES reports limited progress on six reform recommendations issued to Cambodia in 2025.
- Regulators cannot confirm or rule out fraud or corruption in the country's long-tailed macaque trade.
- Cambodia has delayed the implementation of a mandatory microchipping program from 2026 to 2028.
- The Cambodian government maintains that the CITES assessment relies on unproven claims.
- Wild populations of long-tailed macaques in Cambodia have declined by 50% to 70% over the last three decades.
Regulatory assessment of monkey trade reforms
The CITES Secretariat has reported that Cambodia has made limited progress in cleaning up its monkey export industry. In a document released Oct. 5, 2026, the regulator noted that it remains concerned about the lack of evidence regarding the implementation of six recommendations issued to the country in 2025. These recommendations were designed to improve the management of the capture, breeding, and export of long-tailed macaques, a species listed as endangered.
The secretariat stated that it cannot confirm or rule out the occurrence of fraud or corruption in Cambodia's trade. Among the identified failures, the government has not updated national legislation from 2006 to align with CITES standards. Furthermore, the regulator reported that Cambodia continues to take macaques from the wild to restock breeding farms without conducting necessary population impact surveys.
Implementation delays and government response
Specific oversight mechanisms, such as a microchipping program intended to replace a vulnerable neck tag system, have faced significant delays. While implementation was initially expected by the end of 2026, Cambodia has informed CITES that the program is now pushed back to 2028. Additionally, the government provided only five sample export permits when requested to demonstrate that individual monkey ID numbers were being tracked.
Khim Finan, spokesperson for Cambodia's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, rejected the findings. In a statement provided to Mongabay, Finan characterized the report as containing unproven claims and speculative premises, adding that the government remains focused on its cooperation with CITES.
Why it matters
The lack of progress in reforming Cambodia's monkey export industry leaves unresolved questions regarding the potential for fraud and the conservation of endangered long-tailed macaques.
What we know
- CITES issued six recommendations to Cambodia in 2025 to reform its monkey export industry.
- The CITES Secretariat reported on Oct. 5, 2026, that Cambodia has made limited progress in implementing these reforms.
- Cambodia has delayed the implementation of a microchipping program for monkeys from 2026 to 2028.
- Cambodia's wild population of long-tailed macaques has dropped between 50% and 70% in the last three decades.
- The CITES Secretariat stated it cannot confirm or rule out fraud or corruption in Cambodia's trade of long-tailed macaques.
What remains unclear
- Whether Cambodian monkey farms are providing accurate monthly reports of their stocks remains unclear according to the CITES Secretariat.
- The extent to which fraudulent reuse of identification tags occurs in the current export process is not definitively established.
