The toque macaque is endemic to Sri Lanka and common on the island but is classed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list.
"They want the monkeys for over 1,000 zoos they have across China," Agriculture Minister Mahinda Amaraweera told AFP.Monkeys are considered pests in Sri Lanka because they destroy crops and raid villages in search of food, and sometimes attack people. The Environmental Foundation, a Sri Lankan animal rights group, criticised the proposed sale, saying there had been no nationwide survey of the macaques for more than 40 years and a proper population study should be carried out first.
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