Mauritius has long been under scrutiny for its role in the international primate trade, exporting thousands of long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) to laboratories worldwide. But a new development has raised fresh alarm: the Minister of Agro-Industry and Food Safety, in a recent interview, confirmed that animal experiments are already being carried out in Mauritius, and that amendments to the Animal Welfare Act will be made “where necessary.”

This controversial trade sits at the intersection of science, commerce, and ethics — raising necessary questions about animal welfare, conservation, and the future of biomedical research.