Hundreds Of Protected Primate Skulls Seized At Paris Airport

Customs officials at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris have reported the seizure of nearly 400 skulls from protected monkey species over a seven-month period in 2022.

Customs agents at the airport, the largest in the French capital, disclosed that they intercepted 392 packages between May and December 2022.

These packages predominantly contained primate skulls, primarily from Cameroon, and were destined for recipients in the United States.

Additionally, authorities confiscated hundreds of other packages containing skulls or bones from various protected species. Notably, none of the seized items had the requisite legal authorizations for the sale of protected species.

Airport customs chief Gilbert Beltran underscored the gravity of wildlife trafficking, labeling it one of the most profitable trades after drug trafficking, weapons smuggling, and human trafficking.

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He estimated that this illicit trade generated annual revenues ranging from 8 billion to 20 billion euros ($8.5 billion to $21.3 billion).

News reports suggest that the monkey skulls were likely intended for collectors and hunting clubs in the United States, where they are sometimes presented as gifts or prizes. Some of the intercepted packages also contained entire animals or forearms with hands.

The investigation into the monkey skull trade commenced in May 2022 when customs officials discovered seven skulls that had been shipped from Africa. Following this initial discovery, authorities intensified their efforts and uncovered dozens more primate skulls. These primarily belonged to species in the cercopithecoid family, encompassing macaques, baboons, mandrills, and chimpanzees.

These primates are typically hunted for their meat, and the sale of their skulls serves as an ancillary business. The market value of the skulls varies, with small primate skulls fetching 30 to 50 euros ($32 to $53) each, larger specimens commanding prices of 400 to 500 euros ($426 to $532), and chimpanzee skulls reaching up to 1,000 euros ($1,065).

“I am stunned to think that our closest relatives, apes and great apes, are being decimated and rainforests robbed of their endangered biodiversity for a business that is as stupid as it is outrageous,” the museum’s ape expert Professor Sabrina Krief said.

There is a thriving trade in the remains of various other species, including otters, big cats, lizards, and birds of prey. The confiscated skulls will be transferred to the Museum of Natural History in Aix-en-Provence, southern France, for scientific evaluation.