Friday, December 28, 2018

Vietnamese Men Arrested for Eating Endangered Monkey

Six men have been arrested in Vietnam for killing and eating an endangered monkey and live-streaming it on social media.

The men, aged 35-59, filmed themselves eating a langur monkey in November and streamed the video on Facebook.  Police say the men confessed on Thursday to violating wildlife protection laws.

Vietnamese langur monkeys are one of the world's most endangered primate species, living only in the north.

"It took time for us to figure out the suspects involved," police told AFP.  In a statement, police added that one of the men bought the monkey from a hunter for 1.1 million dong ($48).

Trafficking and consumption of rare and endangered animals is a lucrative and widespread practice in the country.

While local and international conservation laws are in place, critics say they are not always properly enforced in Vietnam.

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