Forest Patrollers Recount Monkey Poaching in Prey Lang

A forest defender group in Prey Lang forest say they have documented unchecked monkey poaching in the fast-disappearing forest, adding that live primates can sell for up to $250 a head. The U.S. arrested an Agriculture Ministry official last week, who along with seven others was charged with smuggling and conspiracy.

The U.S. Justice Department indictment alleges they were involved in exporting wild-caught long-tailed macaques and mixed them in consignments of farm-bred primates headed to the U.S. Forest patrollers from the Prey Lang Community Network in Stung Treng province told VOD last month that they had documented monkey poaching in the forest, with the group’s chapters in Preah Vihear and Kampong Thom reporting similar activity.

While the eight people — including Forestry Administration head Keo Omaliss — are accused of smuggling long tailed monkeys, also called crab monkeys in Khmer, PLCN says poachers in the forest are after the lucrative rice monkeys or “white monkeys.” Lay Phally, a member of PLCN in Stung Treng, walks through the forest in late October looking for signs of fresh deforestation.

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