More Latin American species are surfacing at a Bangkok wildlife market

Wildlife monitors say Latin American species, including marmosets, capuchin monkeys, tamarins, capybaras, and rare Amazonian fish, are turning up in greater numbers and variety at Southeast Asian markets like Bangkok's Chatuchak. Trackers at the Wildlife Conservation Society and TRAFFIC describe a supply chain running from poaching hotspots near Iquitos, Peru, through document fraud that relabels wild-caught animals as captive-bred, and onto multi-leg flights exceeding 25 hours to reach Asian buyers.

Researchers point to social media as an accelerant, connecting buyers and sellers across continents regardless of what happens at the physical market stall. An EU report on wildlife trafficking found that roughly 70 percent of wild animals die within six weeks of capture, though exact transit mortality for this specific trade is unknown.

Chatuchak Market has continued operating despite international criticism and a 2024 fire that killed more than 1,000 animals, with overcrowding and proximity to food stalls raising biosecurity concerns.

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