In Depth: After Animal Traffickers Busted, Court Considers What to Do With All the Monkeys

The story outlines a groundbreaking wildlife conservation case in China focused on the rewilding of 32 macaques rescued from an illegal animal trafficking operation. Judge Xu Xiaoshuang from the Chengdu Railway Transportation Intermediate Court issued a landmark ruling in August 2022, sentencing 13 people for trafficking 158 macaques. Importantly, her judgment extended beyond punishment by integrating a plan to rehabilitate and release the surviving animals, recognizing the ecological damage caused by the crime. This represents a rare attempt in Chinese jurisprudence to ensure that environmental damages are addressed alongside punitive measures [para. 1][para. 2][para. 3].

Between 2020 and 2022, China confiscated 1.37 million wild animals linked to the illegal trade. However, the eventual fate of these animals is often unclear, and court rulings typically offer only vague instructions about their disposal. In a review of similar cases, Xu found no precedent for reintroducing seized animals into the wild. In response, her court mandated the rewilding of the macaques, funded by compensation from the offenders. Four of the defendants were required to pay 3.39 million yuan ($464,887) to cover the costs of rehabilitation, including 1.4 million yuan for reacclimating the animals to their natural environment [para. 4][para. 5][para. 6].

Macaques are a protected species in China, yet their prolonged captivity posed challenges. The animals, socially complex with strict hierarchical structures, required extensive rehabilitation to regain survival skills and unlearn dependence on humans. Xu Huailiang, professor at Sichuan Agricultural University, emphasized the necessity of this training, especially because the macaques had lost crucial foraging and social behaviors during their captivity [para. 7][para. 8]. The Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding was chosen to lead the project, which involved rehabilitating the macaques in a specialized facility, simulating natural habitats, establishing social hierarchies, and gradually transitioning their diets. By July 2023, 30 macaques were deemed fit for release into a nature reserve in Sichuan [para. 9][para. 10][para. 11].

Researchers fitted select monkeys with GPS collars to monitor their adaptation to the wild, analyzing feces and behavioral patterns to confirm progress. A final report in July 2024 declared the project a success, with the macaques thriving in stable social groups. The GPS collars were remotely removed, ending human intervention [para. 12][para. 13]. Judge Xu’s ruling demanded that offenders bear the financial burden of rehabilitating the animals, adhering to the principle of “whoever damages, compensates.” This approach has set a template for future wildlife cases, leading to provincial guidelines in Sichuan mandating the rewilding of animals and assigning costs to defendants [para. 14][para. 15].

The case highlights larger systemic challenges in China’s efforts to manage confiscated wildlife. A surge in exotic pet smuggling has overwhelmed rescue facilities, which struggle with underfunding, overcrowding, and risks of disease from trafficked animals. Draft regulations proposed in 2021 to address wildlife handling remain unfinalized, leaving many local rescue centers ill-equipped to care for animals, especially in remote areas [para. 16][para. 17][para. 18]. Despite broader shortcomings, this case demonstrates how deliberate care, sufficient funding, and legal intervention can significantly improve outcomes for rescued wildlife [para. 19].