It's hard to think of a monkey that has been subjected to more abuse at the hands of humans than the poor Rhesus macaque. In 1948, the first ever monkey astronaut, a Rhesus monkey named Albert, blasted off in a V2 rocket, where he suffocated. In the 1950s, psychologist Harry Harlow used them to study the effects of social isolation, resulting in monkeys that were severely mentally disturbed. Today, the monkeys – which are the most widespread non-human primate in the world – are used extensively in medical and biological research, much of it stressful, painful, and deadly.
In China, the monkeys are often victims of poachers, who sell the meat to restaurants specializing in exotic cuisine. The discovery of butchered remains in Hong Kong's Kam Shan country park prompted the president of the Hong Kong Chinese Herbalists Association to reiterate that there's no right way to eat a Rhesus.
