17. Monkeys in America - the Ambiguous World of "Pet Primates" with Dr. Liz Tyson of Born Free USA

Every now and then, headlines pop up about a monkey on the loose, tiktok videos of pet monkeys go viral, occasionally even celebrities will get their faces in the paper for their pet monkeys (looking at you Beiber!) But these blips of fame and notoriety of pet primates barely scratches the surface of just how many monkeys, apes, and other primates are being kept in people's basements, backyards, and bedrooms throughout the USA. With ~15,000 pet primates around the country, we have to ask ourselves: "Is it legal? Is it safe? It is ethical? Who decides?"

To help us unpack the ambiguous world of monkeys in America, we welcome Dr. Liz Tyson, Programs Director at Born Free USA who has an in-depth knowledge of the exotic pet trade - from both a legal and a practical standpoint. Join us for this episode of Talking Apes and find out more about how YOU can help keep primates out of pethood.

Born Free USA: https://www.bornfreeusa.org/our-campaigns/

Talking Apes is the podcast that gets to the very heart of what is happening with and to apes like us. We explore the world of apes and primates with experts, conservationists, and passionate primate people from around the world. Join us as we unpack their weird and wonderful lives piece by piece.

Talking Apes is made possible through generous support from listeners to nonprofit GLOBIO.org.