In case you missed it, last week marked the start of the Chinese New Year: The Year of the Monkey. To celebrate, wealthy citizens of China are illegally buying teeny-tiny monkeys as pets. When we say teeny-tiny, we mean teeny-tiny. Rich Chinese people are paying up to 30,000 Yuan (around £3,000) for pygmy marmosets: the world’s smallest primates. Pygmy marmosets are around the size of a human thumb, leading them to be nicknamed “thumb monkeys”. They weigh less than an iPhone. They’re straight up adorable. But here’s the issue. As cute as little pygmy marmosets may be, they’re also highly endangered. They’re also not native to China. They’re typically found in regions of South America, meaning they have to be removed from their homes and transported (a process which can be highly stressful for the animals, often causing their death) over to China to be sold as pets. Pygmy marmosets require special care, lots of attention, and need to be bred to ensure they don’t die out. They most definitely do not belong in the homes of those with no experience of caring for wild animals. Especially if they’re being bought as quickly discarded gifts. In short: Pygmy marmosets are adorable. Enjoy them by looking at cute pictures of them hanging out on people’s thumbs. Do not attempt to buy one as a pet.
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