ROUSSET: Monkey calls ring out from a compound tucked away from the iconic vineyards and rolling hills of southern France, where one of the country’s key primatology centers is facing pushback over expansion plans.
The site run by the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS) in Rousset in the Provence region has for decades been raising hundreds of primates destined for laboratories to use in scientific experiments.
But a plan to triple the number of primates at the site to 1,800 by 2029 has been met with criticism from rights groups.
The CNRS, with the backing of the French government, says the move will cut costs compared to importing lab animals and allow for better oversight of conditions.
France and Europe have been looking for alternatives to source primates for experiments after imports from China and Africa halted due to the Covid-19 pandemic and prices skyrocketed to sometimes 15,000 to 20,000 euros ($17,000 to $23,000) per animal — a prohibitive cost for public research.
