Footage released by the animal-rights group Peta reveals, for the first time, filmed experiments at the University of Washington’s National Primate Research Center (WaNPRC), in which newborn monkeys were separated from their mothers and subjected to neurological tests after prenatal exposure to a neurotoxin.
asserted
monkeys → release → neurotoxin
Records show that the infant monkeys, some just two days old, were used in research on domoic acid, a toxin produced by marine algae that accumulates in shellfish and can cause illness in humans.
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that → show → humans
The experiments were part of a project that ran for six years until 2020.
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that → run → 2020
The footage shows monkeys with electrodes attached to their heads, undergoing tests to investigate whether exposure to domoic acid in the womb had damaged their brains.
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exposure → show → brains
The baby monkeys appear distressed as they clutch blankets, suck their fingers, screech, and jerk as experimenters shave their heads and test their reflexes and memory.
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experimenters → appear → reflexes
The infant macaques were bred at the University of Washington’s Infant Primate Research Laboratory for the project researching the developmental neurotoxicity of domoic acid in nonhuman primates.
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macaques → breed → primates
Researchers administered doses of domoic acid daily to 32 pregnant macaques.
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Researchers → administer → macaques
After birth, 28 infants were removed from their mothers, bottle-fed and kept in incubators before being housed individually at three weeks old.
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infants → remove → incubators
“These monkeys are so young they still have the distinctive black fur of newborn macaques, yet instead of clinging to their mothers, they grasp blankets on metal tables,” says Peta’s chief science adviser on primate issues, Dr Lisa Jones-Engel.
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adviser → have → issues
In the wild, macaques live in close social groups.
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macaques → live → groups
Infants have long-term maternal care needs for their social and behavioral development, says Dr Malene Hansen, a long-tailed macaque expert, and cannot thrive without their mothers.
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Hansen → have → mothers
“It is unethical to conduct research that separates infant macaques from their mothers.
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that → conduct → mothers
Period,” she says.
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she → say → ?
The WaNBRC told the Guardian: “We recognize that research involving infant animals raises important questions about their wellbeing.
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research → tell → wellbeing
Our experienced veterinary and animal care personnel have specialized expertise in primate care, including nursery rearing.
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personnel → have → rearing
The project ran from 2014 to 2020 and received more than $4.2m in National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.
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project → run → funding
Some experiments lasted years.
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experiments → last → ?
According to Peta, the monkeys were killed after the experiments were concluded.
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experiments → accord → Peta
The NIH says it takes the care and use of laboratory animals very seriously: “All animals used in NIH-supported research are protected by laws, regulations and policies designed to ensure the smallest possible number of animals are used and their welfare is prioritized.”
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welfare → say → animals
According to the WaNBRC, there are no current infant studies at its center; however, protocols for such studies are active.
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protocols → accord → studies
Jones-Engel says: “There is no moral escape hatch.
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Engel → say → ?
You can’t claim primates are used because they’re so like us, then take an infant away from its mother and experiment on it.
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they → claim → it
You would never do that to a human primate.
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You → do → primate
The cruelty also has biological consequences: maternal separation alters an infant’s physiology, immunity, behavior and development, distorting its response to the very substance or disease being studied.”
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separation → have → substance
Jones-Engel worked as a primate scientist at the University of Washington for 17 years and has spent 35 years working as a primatologist.
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Engel → work → primatologist
Her transition from animal researcher to campaigner is documented in a new film, Sentient.
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transition → document → film
Now one of the University of Washington’s most outspoken critics, Jones-Engel says the footage offers a rare glimpse into experiments involving monkeys
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footage → say → monkeys
: “For decades, the term ‘primate research’ has obscured the reality inside laboratories.
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term → obscure → laboratories
These videos expose the suffering and raise a fundamental question: why are these facilities still operating at all?”
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facilities → expose → question
Peta is calling for the closure of all seven US National Primate Research Centers.
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Peta → call → Centers
The footage relates to a research program that has operated at the University of Washington’s Infant Primate Research Laboratory since 1971 and emerges amid a long-running dispute between Peta and the university.
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that → relate → Peta
In a 2020 lawsuit, Peta challenged the school’s handling of public-records requests.
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Peta → challenge → requests
The court ruled that the university violated laws by failing to adequately search for records, in a case that revealed systematic destruction of photos and videos at the school.
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that → rule → school
The footage was released to Peta in September 2026 in response to a records request.
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footage → release → request
The videos were filmed between 2017 and 2019.
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videos → film → 2017
The WaNPRC says the monkey studies have contributed to an understanding how prenatal domoic acid exposure may affect learning and memory: “These findings remain relevant to public health.”
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findings → say → health
However, there is no clear evidence that the experiments led to changes in public health recommendations.
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experiments → be → recommendations
Although the domoic acid research ended in 2020, records show that the WaNPRC continued to breed, purchase and use monkeys, including infants, to study viruses such as Epstein-Barr and HIV.
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WaNPRC → end → Barr
In a 2021 study, 25 infant rhesus macaques were infected with SIV, which is closely related to HIV.
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which → infect → HIV
The study was looking at why some infants develop Aids more rapidly than others.
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infants → look → others
…and 10 more, not listed.
The Aporia
